Harmony Gold mine closed

File image: Reuters

File image: Reuters

Published Jan 4, 2013

Share

Harmony Gold decided to delay the post-festive-season reopening of Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville to review its financial and operational status after strikes, according to a report on Friday.

The Star reported that about 200 men sat outside the main entrance of the mine on Thursday, after not knowing that operations would be closed until further notice.

Harmony spokeswoman Marian van der Walt told the newspaper that notices of the temporary closure were distributed through the media and unions had been notified.

She added that workers were sent home on December 21 and were told to remain there until notified otherwise. Employees were informed that they would be paid their basic salaries while at home.

In December, more than 1000 employees staged an underground sit-in at the mine demanding that their fellow employees, who had been suspended, be reinstated.

Workers' committee member Lennox Tshisa told The Star that workers had not been notified of the temporary closure, and many travelled from Lesotho and Mozambique to report for work.

“It is clear that workers were not informed of this until they arrived at the mine and realised they were homeless,” he said, according to the report.

Van der Walt said Harmony would continue to pay the salaries of more than 5000 workers while operations at the Kusasalethu remained closed, and it expected workers to return home. - Sapa

Related Topics: