Harmony raises production and preserves jobs
The company said gold production for the quarter was up by between 4 and 5 percent on the previous quarter.
Harmony started a consultation process with unions at the Doornkop Mine in May with a view to either returning the mine to profitability or being placed under care and maintenance, which would have put most jobs at the mine in peril. The company says it has now reached an agreement that will save thousands of jobs.
“Doornkop mine’s newly agreed plan provides for more than 3 100 employees (including contractors), with only 526 employees (including contractors) being affected. The majority of these employees have been transferred to other operations,” the company said in a statement. “Of the 526, about 183 people will either be reskilled for redeployment elsewhere in Harmony or may elect to accept a voluntary severance package.”
“The outcome of the Doornkop discussions is testimony to what can be achieved when all parties engage with the same aim in mind – finding a sustainable solution to ensure the viability of the mine and at the same time securing the majority of jobs,” Harmony chief executive Graham Briggs said in a statement.
Harmony expects to release its results for the quarter and the year to June on August 18. -ANA
(File Photo: Gallo Images)