Workers at the Gupta-owned mining company Optimum Coal Mine have called for urgent government intervention after not receiving salaries for months. The workers met with union leaders in Middleburg, Mpumalanga on Monday to discuss the matter.
They protested in late November over the same issue but no solution has been found. The mine is currently under business rescue.
National Union of Mineworkers chairperson for Optimum, Richard Mguzulu, says business rescue practitioners continue to ignore their requests to meet and find a solution.
“All they will do, they will send sms’s to mine management that they need to communicate to us, but there’s no formal meeting that has taken place. If you request a meeting they won’t say anything, they just ignore you. The government needs to intervene on this situation. Remember Optimum was given as a gift to the Guptas by the minister, which is Mosebenzi Zwane. Even a situation like this, according to us that mine is not supposed to be sold. That mine was stolen by the Guptas, and needs to be taken back and given to someone that is going to be able to run it.”
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