Cape Town - Northam management announced on Wednesday that underground operations had resumed at the Zondereinde mine on Tuesday night.
The company said employees had worked the night shift after Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane had visited the mine on Tuesday as part of his ongoing intervention to restore peace and stability.
The statement also noted resumption of operations came after the SAPS disclosed that six suspects had been arrested in connection with the deaths of two Zondereinde employees last week.
Northam management congratulated the SAPS on the swift success of its investigations and has committed to further assistance, if required, as the law takes its course,” it said.
Northam's CEO Paul Dunne added: “We are grateful for Minister Zwane's intervention in this matter and are encouraged by the progress that the SAPS investigations has delivered in a relatively short period”.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday that workers were expected return to work at the mine that evening.
Read also: Operations to resume at Northam Platinum
“#NorthamPlatinum hundreds of #NUM members agree they will report back to work, starting on night shift today,” NUM tweeted after a mass meeting with members.
However, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union is reportedly dismayed to have been left out of the meeting.
NUM said workers welcomed reports that they would be paid for the eight days lost during a work stoppage last week.
Underground operations were halted on June 5 after a NUM member, Mthetheleli Somaxhama, 45, was gunned down in Northam town, about 20km from the mine operation.
His death triggered sporadic violence, resulting in the death of Thembinkosi Mhlabeni, 52, who was stabbed on the morning of June 6 when members of Amcu clashed with NUM members at the boom gate near the R510 road between Northam and Thabazimbi.
Two cars were also torched. It was believed the violence was caused by a turf war between NUM and Amcu.
The NUM is the majority union with 80 percent of the workforce, while Amcu has 6,7 percent of the workforce at Northam Platinum.
AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY