Johannesburg - Anglo Platinum on Thursday confirmed the retrenchment of 725 workers from its central services and support functions.
A formal section 189 notice informing the workers of the move was instituted in terms of the Labour Relations Act, spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole said. The section prescribes that a consultation process has to be followed.
“We engaged all stakeholders to explore retrenchment avoidance ie. re-skilling and redeployment. These options as well as the offer of voluntary separation packages have been declined.”
The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) criticised the retrenchments.
“The Num is appalled that contrary to its promises of a 100-day plan to be given to stakeholders, the company has now moved to issue a section 189 notice to trade unions,” it said in a statement.
It was perturbed that the company was firing workers at a time when a forum to deal with problems in the platinum sector was being established by Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu.
“This action on the part of the company nullifies all our collective endeavours to find solutions to the challenges that beset us,” union deputy general secretary Tshimane Montoedi said in a statement.
The Num call on Anglo Platinum to review its decision and work with other platinum miners, trade unions and the government to find a lasting solution to the platinum industry's woes.
Sithole said the retrenchments would not affect Anglo Platinum's productivity. - Sapa