MORE than 200 rebel members of the National Union of Mineworkers on Tuesday gave up a week-long sit-in deep inside the north shaft of Douglas colliery in Witbank. Sol Morathi, communications manager of Ingwe Coal, said that all 230 miners left the shaft before 1pm. They were the rump of a sit-in by more than 600 miners, in protest against the refusal of the union to recognise three shop stewards who were not properly elected. “They came out voluntarily after they accepted that we were not going to go ahead with criminal charges for breaking a court interdict,” said Morathi. Police monitored the situation, but took no action. The miners were fired on Monday for ignoring an ultimatum to quit the shaft by 4pm, after the mine secured an interdict against the illegal sit-in. “They have appealed to the company against their dismissals, but they will not be reinstated unless their appeal is upheld,” said Morathi. In the meantime, the rebels will again have free medical care, and can return to their accommodation at the mine.