Johannesburg - Kumba Iron Ore started job-cut consultations as it restructures Africa’s biggest mine for the steelmaking ingredient, saying about 3 900 workers will be affected.
The Anglo American unit started talks on staff reductions after deciding to restructure the Sishen mine to become a lower-cost pit configuration as iron-ore prices declined, it said in a statement on Thursday.
About 2 633 Kumba workers and 1 300 contractors will be affected, it said.
“This has been an extremely difficult decision but, after exhausting all other avenues and doing all we could have done to reduce costs, we have no choice but to take more significant steps to preserve the viability of the mine,” Chief Executive Officer Norman Mbazima said.
BLOOMBERG