2010-02-06

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) condemns Two Rivers mine management for the mishandling of dismissals of mineworkers who staged a hostage a few weeks ago. Two Rivers mine dismissed all the 55 workers including those who were held hostage. In addition, the company now wants to take back all the 55 workers in what confirms our earlier suspicion that it was collaborating with a rival union which management formed in order to divide the workers.

The plan then backfired when the same workers they organized staged the hostage. In a further twist to the issue, mine management has now called on the local chiefs to become part of the labour relations dispute resolution process. “We do not know what the role of the chiefs is as they are not shop stewards or labour relations practitioners” says Doctor Matheso, the NUM ‘s Branch Secretary at Two Rivers mine. “There are clear guidelines, Two Rivers should fire those who held others hostage and leave behind those who were held hostage” says Matheso. Two Rivers mine is a joint venture between African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and Impala Platinum and is situated in the North Eastern limb of the Bushveld in Mpumalanga.