The National Union of Mineworkers says the proposed retrenchments by AngloGold is unnecessary.
Photo by Silindelo Masikane
A group of NUM members marched to AngloGold Ashanti's Head Office in the Johannesburg CBD on Saturday.
The march was in protest against the company's decision to issue a Section 189 process to retrench 8 500 workers at its operations in the Matlosana and Carletonville regions.
"The presentation that was made to us, was not that business was performing badly. They were more complaining about the grade of the gold," NUM President Piet Matosa explained.
"To us, this does not mean that there is no gold. They prefer a certain grade of gold which then does not necessitate them to destroy so many jobs."
"There are many people that are going to be retrenched. There are many people who are going to be sentenced to permanent poverty. We are saying to AngloGold that no retrenchments should take place".
Matosa says to save South Africa, jobs need to be saved.
"You can't save South Africa when at the same time jobs are being destroyed. These numbers are too huge. These numbers are going to have a very negative impact on our country's economy and also on the unemployment rate," said Matosa.
