Miners on strike underground finally have food and medication

Striking miners have finally been allowed to receive water and medication after spending several days underground in a wage protest.

At least 67 miners at the Petra Diamonds’ Finsch mine‚ northwest of Kimberley‚ have been staging an underground protest since Monday.

The employees‚ who include females and people who take chronic medication‚ are all members of the National Mineworkers Union (NUM).

Tebogo Kgomongwe‚ NUM Finsch Mine deputy branch secretary‚ said the legal strike is continuing until an agreement is reached.

"The mine only took medication down yesterday after negotiations. And we were not allowed access to take down food and water for the comrades but‚ only after we negotiated‚ did they allow us to go see them. Before we were not allowed‚" Kgomongwe said.

After NUM declared a wage dispute with the company‚ the two parties did not reach an agreement‚ prompting the union to launch a strike on Monday afternoon.

"What angered the 67 members to refuse to come out of underground was when Petra Diamonds threatened to withhold the bonuses that are due to be paid end of September. The company has also threatened to retrench them‚" Kgomongwe said.

Demands by NUM members include a wage increment of 10 percent across the board every month for three years‚ housing subsidies and medical aid allowances.

Last week more than 150 miners engaged in similar underground protests at eKapa Mines in Kimberley.

Orapeleng Moraladi‚ the regional organiser of the NUM‚ said 78 miners were protesting at Wesselton Shaft and 80 at Joint Shaft.

"The production bonus has nothing to do with their wages. They performed their duties and they are entitled to that bonus‚" Moraladi added.

The strike continues.