NUM Rustenburg regional secretary Geoffrey Moatshe said all mineworkers had resurfaced on the third day of the protest.
“It was all about persuasion but there are three reasons why the workers were finally let go. The first is that the mine management had given them a deadline, the second is the upcoming Christmas break and the third reason is that payday is approaching,” he said.
Moatshe said the issues that led to the three-day hostage situation would be addressed in the new year.
“What was important was to get the workers out due to health and safety issues. The other issues they have will be addressed in the new year. But I can tell you that some of these issues are non-issues. We will try our best to address them,” he said.
Family members of workers stuck underground waited anxiously outside the shafts. Some were concerned about their relatives not having access to their chronic medication.
It was initially thought the protest was a united sit-in by the workers but a few who managed to escape and resurface on Tuesday told NUM they had been held against their will.
Moatshe said those affected and held against their will were not expected to report for duty on Thursday, despite it being the mine's last day before the holiday break.
“They are not back at work [on Thursday]. Due to the latest development, there is no need for them to go back to work.”
During the hostage situation, the mine ensured those stuck underground were provided with food and water.
TimesLIVE
NUM confirms Implats mine 3-day protest is over, talks due in new year
Some of the workers were held hostage since Monday morning when ringleaders decided to embark on an illegal strike and prevented them from resurfacing, NUM says.
Image: Thulani Mbele
Mineworkers, some of whom were held hostage during an illegal protest underground at an Implats mine, resurfaced after the ringleaders agreed to convene talks with management next year, the National Union of Mineworkers says.
The protest action, initially involving 2,205 employees, began at the North and South shafts of Implats' Bafokeng Rasimone mine on Monday.
This was due to several disputes including over their pension and provident fund payouts when Implats took over the mine from Royal Bafokeng.
Protest leaders also complained they were “over-taxed” when they received their share dividends in September and demanded the money be paid back.
Bafokeng mine strike has ended, disciplinary action to follow: Implats
NUM Rustenburg regional secretary Geoffrey Moatshe said all mineworkers had resurfaced on the third day of the protest.
“It was all about persuasion but there are three reasons why the workers were finally let go. The first is that the mine management had given them a deadline, the second is the upcoming Christmas break and the third reason is that payday is approaching,” he said.
Moatshe said the issues that led to the three-day hostage situation would be addressed in the new year.
“What was important was to get the workers out due to health and safety issues. The other issues they have will be addressed in the new year. But I can tell you that some of these issues are non-issues. We will try our best to address them,” he said.
Family members of workers stuck underground waited anxiously outside the shafts. Some were concerned about their relatives not having access to their chronic medication.
It was initially thought the protest was a united sit-in by the workers but a few who managed to escape and resurface on Tuesday told NUM they had been held against their will.
Moatshe said those affected and held against their will were not expected to report for duty on Thursday, despite it being the mine's last day before the holiday break.
“They are not back at work [on Thursday]. Due to the latest development, there is no need for them to go back to work.”
During the hostage situation, the mine ensured those stuck underground were provided with food and water.
TimesLIVE
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