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The National Union Mineworkers (NUM) is shocked, disgusted and saddened by Evander Gold Mine intention to retrench 2 000 mineworkers in Mpumalanga.

Evander Gold Mine is a subsidiary of  the Pan African Resources

Evander Gold Mine served the NUM with Section 189(3) notice of the Labour Relations Act to retrench workers this week on Tuesday.

The company informed the NUM that the retrenchments are as a result of an ageing infrastructure, high operating costs and a low gold price.

The NUM is totally opposed to these retrenchments at Evander Gold Mine. The retrenchment of 2 000 permanent workers is bad given the fact that the majority of mineworkers support 10 people per family which mean that a lot of people will be negatively affected by this retrenchments.

The NUM declares war against job losses through retrenchments, Voluntary Severance Package and other untoward concocted means of destroying the lives of many families with dependants in labour-sending areas.

The NUM is concerned that when mining companies issue Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act they do not align it with Section 52 of the MPRDA 2002, which states the following: “The holder of a mining right must, after consultation with any registered trade union or affected employees or their nominated representatives where there is no such trade union, notify the Minister in the prescribed manner- (a) where prevailing economic conditions cause the profit to revenue ratio of the relevant mine to be less than six percent on average for a continuous period of 12 months; or (b) if any mining operation is to be scaled down or to cease with the possible effect that 10 percent or more of the labour force or more than 500 employees, whichever is the lesser, are likely to be retrenched in any 12-month period.”

There is a need for a real transformation in the mining industry that emphasises on human development, not only profits.

The NUM will fight tooth and nail to make sure that its members are not retrenched cheaply. We remain fearless, committed, dedicated and unshaken in fighting for our members and other mineworkers.

Issued by NUM