About 300 workers at the Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine between Burgersfort and Lydenburg have downed tools. They are demanding housing, medical aid subsidies and transport.
The group gathered at the entrance of the mine premises where police and mine officials are monitoring the situation. Most of the workers belong to the National Union of Mineworkers.
NUM Regional Secretary, Phillip Mankge, says that they have been granted permission to strike.
“We have negotiated with them for a number of years, but have not achieved anything. Now we have approached the CCMA who granted us permission to strike.”
About 1 500 members of NUM have embarked on a protected strike at Dwarsrivier mine to force the company to comply with the Labour Relations Act, and improve the conditions of employment as stipulated in the Act @ThobelaFMYaka @SABCNewsOnline @eNCA @CapricornFM @SA_Labour_News
— NUM (@NUM_Media) March 5, 2019
Workers are demanding that Dwarsrivier mine in Limpopo should provide them with housing subsidy, allocate transport to and from work, and increase medical aid contribution to 60% @ThobelaFMYaka @SABCNewsOnline @SA_Labour_News @eNCA @ewnupdates @CapricornFM @JacaNews @RISEfm943
— NUM (@NUM_Media) March 5, 2019
The mine management have not yet commented and negotiations between the two parties are continuing.
The strike is peaceful and there has been no damage, injuries or arrests.
The Dwarsrivier area is one of the richest chrome reserves in South Africa. It has an estimated 55 million tonnes of quality ore.
