About 2 300 families in Stilfontein are battling to make ends meet after their breadwinners were retrenched when DRDGold provisionally liquidated its two North West mines in March, Absa said on Monday.
“You will see from this that we urgently need further donations of cash or foodstuffs if we are to continue our work,” Absa quoted the chairperson of the Stilfontein DRD Emergency Forum, Reverend Sarel Oosthuizen, as saying.
Absa has donated R100 000 to the Stilfontein DRD emergency fund.
Oosthuizen said the Stilfontein mining community’s most-pressing need is food.
The situation is expected to continue for at least another three months.
Simmer & Jack Mines signed an interim agreement with the provisional liquidators last Thursday, under which Simmers will restart the mines.
Simmers CEO Gordon Miller said the company has already negotiated conditions of labour with the unions Solidarity, the South African Equity Workers’ Association, the United Association of South Africa and the National Union of Mineworkers.
“When full operations are resumed, the company anticipates providing employment for approximately 3 800 people and extending the life of the mine by another decade,” Miller said last Thursday.
Absa branches in Potchefstroom, Orkney, Klerksdorp and Stilfontein are providing collection points for donations of non-perishable food to the Stilfontein DRD emergency forum. — Sapa
Absa has set up an emergency fund account for members of the public who want to contribute financially. The account details are: Stilfontein DRD Noodfonds, Absa Klerksdorp, account number 4062204505, branch code 632005