Miners faint amid prolonged sit-in at Lanxess Mine
At least 10 mines have fainted while staging an underground sit-in at Lanxess Mine in Rustenburg.
Some 200 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have been staging the sit-in since last Wednesday in protest against sexual harassment at the mine.
They are also unhappy about the perceived unfair dismissal of 54 Numsa members.
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Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the food which was meant for striking Lanxess workers has been sitting in a truck due to security refusing it entry.
"At least 10 of them have fainted and have had to be treated either on-site or at a hospital. Part of the problem is that the management of Lanxess Mine steadfastly refuses to allow Numsa to bring food to the premises to allow for food to be taken down to our member’s underground."
Hlubi-Majola says the Department of Mineral Resources eventually directed the mine to allow the food onto the premises.