Union leaders representing workers at Syferfontein Mine near Musina in Limpopo say mine management have instructed some workers to report for duty or face dismissal.
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) representative Mpho Ngobeni claims the mine has not implemented safety measures against the coronavirus.
Activities at Mogalakwena Platinum Mine outside Mokopane have not yet resumed.
Only essential workers have reported for duty at Marula Platinum Mine near Burgersfort.
Ngobeni says about 100 workers were recalled to work at Syferfontein.
“Some of the workers at the mine were forced to report for duty and were threatened that they will be fired if they disobeyed, some were even fetched from their homes, some of us refused to work because we have not been tested for coronavirus.”
In the video below, members of the National Command Council discuss COVID-19 lockdown extension:
Last week, government said it will allow mines to operate at 50% capacity during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to amended government regulations published on Thursday.
The government had ordered most underground mines and furnaces to be put on care and maintenance during the lockdown, which started on March 27 and has been extended until the end of April, apart from coal mines supplying state power utility Eskom.
Miners have been lobbying the government to allow them to resume production with controls in place to detect and contain COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
South Africa is the world’s biggest producer of chrome ore, accounts for around 70% of global mined platinum supply and is a major producer of other minerals and metals.
