Northam – Journalists were escorted out of Northam Platinum’s Zondereinde mine on Wednesday.
The National Union of Mineworkers had invited the media to a mass meeting to be addressed by mine management, the SA Police Service and the union, following clashes between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and NUM in an apparent turf war in the area.
Mthetheleli Zefunele, 45, a National Union of Mineworkers member, was shot in the head in Northam on Sunday. The killer fled.
Then on Monday, another worker, believed to be an Amcu member, was stabbed to death at the R510 road between Northam and Thabazimbi. Two cars were also torched.
Access to the meeting at the hostel on Wednesday was strictly controlled, with every employee who entered being made to hand over their clock card to security officers.
After a long deliberation, journalists were denied access to the meeting and escorted out of the mine premises.
The mine had issued notices that workers must return to work by Wednesday.
“The management of Northam Platinum advises that talks continue with all parties to resolve the situation at the Zondereinde mine and return employees to work,” the company said in a statement.
Operations have been interrupted at the mine for two days since the shooting of Zefunele on Monday.
African News Agency