The jobs of more than 1 500 mineworkers at Durban Roodepoort Deep (DRD) have been saved, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday.
The agreement to retain the group came after an estimated 10 000 NUM members threatened to strike at DRD’s North West operations to protest against the retrenchments.
The strike — called to attempt to force DRD to abandon its intention to retrench 4 504 mineworkers — has been called off, NUM spokesperson Moferefere Lekorotsoana said.
The agreement only affects the Buffels mine.
”We have, as a result of the agreement, suspended our 48 hours strike notice at Buffels, and we will not be striking there. We now need to deal with the problem at Harties,” Lekorotsoana said.
Earlier on Tuesday, DRD spokesperson James Duncan said 4 504 mineworkers would lose their jobs due to NUM’s intransigence.
DRD operations in the North West face closure as business is no longer viable. However DRD has also promised the union that it will not close the firm within 60 days, Lekorotsoana said.
”It emphasises the point that when workers are correct, they should not back down to tricks played by companies,” he said.
”It is heartening to know that there will be no job losses at Buffels.
”Our challenge now is to find a solution at Harties where the status quo remains, where workers will be striking on Sunday.
”We believe that DRD has its knives out for Harties. We believe it would serve them well to reconsider this treacherous approach,” Lekorotsoana said. — Sapa