JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – JSE-listed Keaton Energy continues to follow legal processes to resolve the illegal industrial action by employees of underground mining contractor Nasonti Mining that included an illegal sit-in at the group’s Vaalkrantz colliery.

Nasonti launched a retrenchment process in February, citing financial pressure, and halted its operations at Vaalkrantz. Nasonti applied for voluntary liquidation, after which an undisclosed number of Nasonti employees overpowered private mine security and entered the mine through the belt road demanding payment of their outstanding salaries and retrenchment packages from Nasonti.

Leeuw Mining & Exploration (LME), a Keaton subsidiary, initially made attempts to communicate with the employees in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation, which was unsuccessful.

After further illegal actions by the Nasonti employees, resulting in damage to mine property, Keaton was forced to call on the public order police.

Keaton’s key concern at that time was the safety of its own personnel, as well as that of other contractors’ and Nasonti’s employees.

Another area of concern for Keaton was the personal wellbeing of the Nasonti employees, who refused to exit the underground mine to collect food and water offered by LME mine management.

LME, at that point, also alerted the Department of Mineral Resources and organised labour and requested their intervention.

On March 1, the labour court granted Keaton an eviction order, which was
subsequently served to Nasonti employees on March 2 following their ongoing
rejection of continued attempts at peaceful resolution.

The South African Police Service was represented on site in line with a second court order. Keaton also arranged for additional private mine security and riot teams from security company Bidvest Coin Security to maintain the peace as far
as possible.

On March 4, after having presented a three-part resolution plan proposed by LME mine management, Nasonti employees agreed to exit the underground workings.

Keaton on Tuesday said it continued to engage peacefully with all stakeholders in an attempt to facilitate a resolution.