Over four thousand contract workers employed by four companies contracted to Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg in the North West have been dismissed by their employers.
They have been on a strike, under the banner of Numsa, calling for among others, salary increases, living out allowances and medical aids.
The companies have sought court interdicts to stop the strike, while Impala says it is not in a position to engage Numsa on this matter, as they are flouting COVID-19 regulations.
Tshepo Mekgwe is the Director for Employee and Strategic Relations at Reagetswe Mining, one of the companies whose workers are on strike.
“We accepted stop orders from Numsa, after a court order. In terms of that court order, there are processes that needed to be followed. As I’m speaking we are having a sit down at the CCMA in Rustenburg relating to the verification process of the stop orders from Numsa. In terms of the salaries of the contractor model, I think we have people who are making bonuses above R16 000 because that’s how our contractors work. You have a basic salary, which includes the living out, and then as and when you make production, you make more,” says Mekgwe.
AUDIO: Mekgwe shares more on the strike:
Numsa’s Malibongwe Mdazo says their lawyers are preparing papers to respond to the court interdicts, while the matter relating to the recognition of Numsa as a majority union is still being attended to at the CCMA.
“Numsa lawyers are responding to that letter, but Numsa won’t respond on its own, it gets the mandate from the members. Our plea is, let’s talk and see how we resolve this matter amicably. These workers asked for Numsa’s help, but these companies say Numsa is not a majority union. But our stop orders show that we are a majority union here,” says Mdazo.
AUDIO: Mdazo on lawyers preparing papers to respond to court interdicts:
