Rustenburg – The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Thursday called for an immediate resumption of the rescue mission to recover three workers that were still trapped underground at Lily Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga.
“We cannot stand and idle or fold our hands pretending as if it is business as usual at that mine. Things are not good and our call to the Lily Mine management is that the rescue mission has to commence as soon as possible,” said NUM deputy president Joseph Montisetse.
“We have three workers down there trapped in the belly of the earth. Those poor workers need to be brought to surface so that their families could find a closure and move on with their lives. The thoughts of having them deep down there are disturbing and highly unbearable.”
He said the union fully supported workers who were protesting, demanding that their April salaries be paid in full.
“Why is the management bribing them by offering them R650. Is not that an insult to them and their families? These workers went through a lot and surely they do not deserve any other stress or pain.”
He said the NUM would fight tooth and nail to make sure that the trapped workers were rescued dead or alive so that their families could find closure.
The mine was placed under business rescue after suspending operations in February, following a massive collapse that trapped the three workers, Pretty Nkambule, Solomon Nyerende and Yvonne Mnisi, in a container underground. Their bodies have not yet been retrieved.
Trade union Solidarity said the R650 paid to workers was not enough to cover the fines imposed by banks because their debit orders bounced due to lack of funds in workers’ bank accounts.
“The Lily Mine’s workers are still in the dark as far as payment of the April salaries is concerned. Apart from the major uncertainty they are facing, the workers are now also beginning to experience serious financial difficulties and most of them cannot afford to travel to work anymore,” said Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis.
“Solidarity is holding a members meeting tonight [Thursday] in Barberton to give our members feedback on answers received in reply to a list of questions, dealing with the many concerns workers have…”
He said Solidarity would also on Thursday night discuss all possible future options with its members as many wanted to apply for retrenchment to gain access to their unemployment insurance benefits and pension funds in order to somewhat relieve their financial pressure.
“At tonight’s meeting, Solidarity’s Helping Hand will also distribute food hampers to Solidarity members and their families,” he said.
Du Plessis said in a letter to the workers’ creditors, Lily Mine’s rescue practitioner requested creditors on behalf of the workers to assist the workers with debt management for at least the next 90 days while the business rescue process was under way.
African News Agency