Around 543 miners are reportedly being held “hostage” underground at the Gold One mine in Springs.
The mine’s spokesperson, Jon Hericourt, has blamed members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) for holding the workers prisoner.
Amcu members have restricted the miners from surfacing, holding them in specific work areas, cut all communication lines, and caused some injuries to the miners.
Mlulameli Mweli, the acting regional spokesperson for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), has confirmed the incident from the mine site, stating that the Amcu members are demanding representation at the mine and have taken the drastic step of holding staff hostage, News24 reported.
However, Amcu general secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele, who reached the site after the incident unfolded, has denied the allegations of a hostage situation.
He emphasised that out of Gold One’s 1,870 employees, 1,700 are Amcu members, implying that the representation they are demanding is important.
“Management cannot just come and say it is a hostage situation. It is not true,” he said.
Pictured above: A mine.
Image source: File
