FIVE thousand miners from ERPM gold mine on the East Rand are to be retrenched with immediate effect, SABC news reported on Monday. This follows government’s refusal to assist the mine with bridging finance of R18-million, the broadcaster said. ERPM has been in serious financial crisis since 1990 but the government has spent R450-million in an effort to stop the mine from closing down. A government spokesman said it could no longer assist the mine because it did not generate profits. The miners have been informed and mine management is in the process of finalising their retrenchment packages.