The Mineral Council of South Africa says it’s concerned about job losses in the mining sector. The Council says if mining companies do not operate, workers will lose jobs.
The Mineral Council says it is not putting lives over profits. As it has already put in place safety measures for workers in line with health protocols.
It says there have already been job losses in the mining sector and more jobs could be lost if mining companies do not fully operate.
The Council says it hopes mining companies will operate at full capacity by the end of the year, up from the current 50%.
Unions however have raised alarms bells about the number of retrenchment notices by mining companies.
They have also claimed there is not enough personal protection equipment for workers, a claim denied by the Council.
The Mineral Council says the sector will form part of the predicted three million job losses in the economy.
It says COVID-19 has added to electricity constraints, economic structural reforms, and price challenges to their operations.
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