NUM says, companies must follow due processes in retrenching workers

Mbasa Gqokoma
05 June 2015

The National Union of Mineworkers has raised its concerns regarding the current retrenchments waged by the Mining Industry.

According to NUM since 2012 the mining industry has shed more than 35 000 jobs majority of these are in the platinum and gold industry.

Since the start of this year the whole industry has retrenched between 5 000 and 10 000 jobs.

NUM’s Livhuwani Mammburu says if you look at Glencore Optimum Coal Mine in Mpumalanga they issued section 189 where they are going to close down the whole operation and without following the due processes.

Firstly they have to adhere to section 52 of the MPRDA which is that, if the company is going to close down their operation or is going to retrench more than 10% of the work force, it must firstly inform the Minister of Mineral Resources and a lot of companies are not doing that.

“Harmony has just issued section 189 at Dooronkop mine, they are going to almost retrench 99% of the employees without following the due processes again” Mammburu added.