Gold One Mine, located east of Johannesburg, has officially terminated the employment of 401 workers, citing illegal sit-ins by miners at their underground gold mine.
The company claims that these sit-ins were a response to what they consider unlawful labour actions, specifically an ongoing dispute over organising rights at the mine.
Workers downed tools, protesting the perceived infringement on their organising rights. The situation escalated further when over 500 workers failed to resurface from an underground shaft, prompting concerns and investigations.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) characterised the incident as a hostage situation, while the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has labelled the demonstration as a voluntary sit-in.
Head of Legal at Gold One Mine, Ziyaad Hassam says, “We can confirm that 401 employees have been dismissed following illegal strikes in October and December last year. A further 140 employees are currently on suspension, with their hearings likely to take place within the next week.”
Is Gold One Mine a sit-in or a hostage situation?
