Impala Bafokeng Platinum withdraws worker suspensions
The National Union of Mine workers (NUM) has on Tuesday confirmed that the Impala Bafokeng Platinum management has withdrawn 38 suspensions that were issued to employees who are believed to have staged a sit-in underground last year at the mine.
This as only 60% of employees made it back to the mine on Monday following the festive season holidays.
More than 2 200 platinum miners staged an underground protest in December, over grievances relating to shares.
On Monday, it was reported that the workers were planning another protest action, however the mine confirmed that there was no protest.
NUM Rustenburg Regional Secretary, Geoffrey Moatshe says he hopes that the withdrawal of the 38 suspended workers will influence the other 40% to return to work.
"We are hauboring hopes that that 38 whos suspension has been withdrawn would now influence the rest of the 39 plus percentage to get back to work and get the operations stable and start engaging on the issuses."
Moatshe adds that, it was through the engagements and efforts of the NUM that the company acceded to the demands to withdraw the suspensions.
"The employer has agreed to revisit and re-engage the union on all issues that were covered in the demands raised by the workers once the situation has stabilised. In the meantime, the NUM calls on all its members to go back to work. All other issues would be further communicated once the employer has put them in writing tomorrow morning."
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