JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Labour collective, the National Union Mineworkers (NUM), says it will fight the proposed retrenchment of 3 040 workers at Harmony Gold’s Doornkop operation, west of Johannesburg, after being served with a Section 189 notice by the company on May 19.
According to the union, Harmony cited the proposed placement of the Doornkop mine and metallurgical plant on care and maintenance following continued losses as the driver of the intended job shedding.
NUM represented 2 290 of the 3 640 workers at the mine.
“[We are] shocked, disgusted and saddened by Harmony Gold’s intention to retrench workers… the company is not supposed to issue a Section 189 notice until they comply with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, which states that if the company expected to retrench 10% or more employees it has to inform the Mineral Resources Minister,” the union said in a statement.
NUM further called on Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi to immediately intervene and stop the “drastic” action by the company.
“We are, as NUM, surprised [by the retrenchment notice], as Harmony Gold informed us it is making losses, but the Doornkop mine has rich gold reserves. In terms of the management presentation, the mine still has a lifespan of 17 years,” stated NUM regional chairperson Kanetso Matabane.
He added that NUM members had called for Harmony Gold to return the Doornkop mining licence to the Department of Mineral Resources to allow it to be mined by another operator.
“NUM members are saying that they will not leave Doornkop and will welcome a new owner.
“We will fight tooth and nail to make sure that [our] members are not retrenched cheaply. We remain fearless, committed, dedicated and unshaken in fighting for our members,” he said.