By Doreen Mokgolo
Dismissed miners have vowed to shut down the Gold One Mine East Modder Operation should the company hire new staff.
This is after 445 miners were dismissed and 140 suspended since the mine opened for business on 3 January.
Those who ignored their dismissal SMSes went on to report for work at the mine and were forcefully removed by security officers.
The miners, from both Amcu and the NUM, were fired or suspended for taking part in an underground sit-in late last year despite the unions pointing out that not all the miners stayed underground voluntarily.
Since October the miners have disrupted operations, demanding that the mine set a date for a ballot where a new union will be elected. The NUM is the only recognised union at the mine.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, Amcu representative Thabani Mzizi said they will fight tooth and nail for all the dismissed miners to be reappointed.
“These employees didn’t receive their December salaries and bonuses, and could not afford to go to their home for the festive season,” he said.
“We cannot be dismissed for fighting for our rights. We work in a dangerous environment yet we are paid peanuts and receive no benefits.”
NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu said they are not happy about how the mine is handling the dismissals.
“Not all the miners who were underground were on strike. Some were forced to remain underground for the duration of the sit-in, and now they find themselves without jobs,” he said.
“Our members will appeal the dismissals and we will be representing them during the hearings next week.”
The mine’s head of legal Ziyaad Hassan confirmed that the mine has not appointed new staff to replace the dismissed members.
Hassan said they received the memberships from both unions for verification. They will now verify the data compared to what is on their database, which will be followed by physical verification.
“We are waiting to see how many of those dismissed will appeal and for the dust to settle,” he said.
“This is to make way for the election of the new union that will be representing the miners.”
Picture above: Gold One Mine striking miners.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
