NUM Condemns Violent Attack on Members at Impala Platinum Memorial Service; Slams Management for Exclusion

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) strongly condemns the brutal and unprovoked attack on our members this morning at Impala Platinum’s South Shaft. The violence occurred as NUM members attempted to attend a memorial service for a fallen NUM member who tragically lost his life in a fatal incident last week.

The NUM is outraged by the blatant gatekeeping displayed by Impala Platinum management. Despite the deceased being a dedicated NUM member, management inexplicably sidelined our union, granting exclusive permission to AMCU to attend the service.

When NUM members, led by the Rustenburg Regional leadership, arrived to pay their final respects, they were met with extreme violence by alleged AMCU members. These individuals were armed with dangerous weapons—including firearms, pangas, and knobkerries—inside mine premises. The attackers proceeded to throw chairs and assault our members, resulting in several injuries.

The NUM places this on the record:

• Safety Failure: It is unacceptable that individuals were permitted to carry life-threatening weapons onto mine property. We demand to know how security protocols failed to prevent this from happening.
• Exclusion: The NUM has been an integral part of the investigation alongside the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) since the fatal incident occurred. To be excluded from the memorial of our own member is an insult to the deceased and their family.
• Accountability: We call on Impala Platinum management to take immediate responsibility for their negligence, security breach and provocative handling of the memorial service.

At the centre of all this conflict is the issue of bargaining rights at Impala Platinum.

The NUM will not be intimidated by violence or administrative sidelining. We remain committed to seeking justice for our fallen member and ensuring the safety of our workers on the ground.

For more information, please contact:

Olehile Kgware, NUM Deputy President, 064 752 5822 or 078 144 3325

July Radebe, NUM Rustenburg Regional Chairperson, 084 494 0933

Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/10086002340216