NUM Kwazulu-Natal is deeply concerned and worried about the state of the mining sector in the province

Press Statement, 20 May 2021

NUM KWAZULU-NATAL IS DEEPLY CONCERNED AND WORRIED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE MINING SECTOR IN THE PROVINCE

The National Union of Mineworkers in KwaZulu Natal is deeply concerned and worried about the state of the mining sector in the Province, following a one-day regional Shopstewards council meeting that took place on the 15th of May 2021 at Umhlathuze auditorium which was attended by the NUM President Joseph Montisetsi and 50 delegates from the mining branches of the NUM.

The purpose of the shop stewards council was to look at the state of the mining sector and the challenges facing the mining industry in the province. The meeting dealt with issues about non-compliance by mining companies to their own signed Social and Labour Plans.

"The shop stewards council debated all the issues as stated above and resolved that the mining sector is in the ICU and drastic measures are required if the government is serious about sustaining the mining sector in the province. This sector provides a reasonable size of employment in the province therefore if our government is serious about addressing the issue of unemployment. As we speak the Rio Tinto extension is on hold for the unknown period which jeopardises the employment opportunities that can benefit more than 5000 households in the area of King Cetshwayo district and KwaZulu-Natal as a whole," Muzikayise Zakwe, NUM KwaZulu-Natal Regional Secretary.

Below are challenges facing the mining sector in KwaZulu-Natal.

• High level of unemployment facing all local mining communities.
• Endless road blockages to the mining companies.
• Ambiguous Social and Labour Plans & non-compliance to mining charter provisions.
• Obscure beneficiation to local communities, mine workers and local business people.
• Mining companies using COVID-19/ lockdown as the scapegoat to institute unprecedented retrenchments.
• Communities are refusing to relocate for the mining to take place due to unclear relocation compensation strategy approach by mining companies, while companies are crying foul that communities are demanding exorbitant amounts of money for relocation.
• Mining charter 3 particularly on “once empowered always empowered clause”

'The NUM believes that by addressing all these issues as tabulated above, the government will partly address triple challenges facing the society in the province, particularly unemployment and poverty. We further call upon the department of the local economic development in the province and the Department of Minerals and Resources and Energy to work with us as the organized labour to assist in addressing the matters, because it cannot be correct that even today there are workers who had never benefited ESOPS yet there is regulator DMRE department in the province," Zakwe concluded.

For more information, please contact:

Muzikayise Zakwe, NUM KwaZulu-Natal Regional Secretary, 066 475 2246 or 083 417 1369

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