NUM North East region to march against mass retrenchments and economic sabotage

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) North East Region will hold a protest march on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Polokwane, to vehemently oppose the alarming rise in Section 189 retrenchment notices issued by companies in the mining, energy, construction and metal Sectors. NUM views these actions as a direct assault on workers' livelihoods, a deliberate attempt at economic sabotage, and a significant contributor to the nation's escalating unemployment rate.

The march details:

• Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
• Assemble Point: SABC Park, Polokwane (next to Thobela FM)
• Time: [10:00 AM]
• Purpose: To protest against mass retrenchments and their devastating impact on workers and the South African economy.

The NUM North East Region has been inundated with Section 189 notices since November last year, painting a grim picture of job insecurity in the region. The union highlights the following critical cases:

• Venetia Mine: In November 2024, the company issued a Section 189 notice to retrench 458 out of 1450 employees. Additionally, a contract with Murray & Roberts, affecting 1407 employees, has been terminated.
• Barberton Mine: A notice served in February 2025 indicates the company's intention to retrench 980 out of 2088 workers. Of these, only 33 took Voluntary Severance Packages (VSPs), 244 were redeployed, leaving 150 facing forceful retrenchment.
• Bokoni Platinum Mine: In February 2025, a notice was received for the retrenchment of 485 out of 700 permanent employees.
• Bauba Mine: This mine, which employed 423 individuals, has unfortunately seen a complete closure, resulting in the retrenchment of all employees.
• Modikwa Platinum Mine: In March 2025, a notice was issued to retrench 310 out of 3600 employees.
• Minopex Bokoni: This smaller contract, with 70 employees, plans to retrench 20 workers.
• Zizwe: This company, with 227 employees, intends to cut 27 jobs.

"These mass retrenchments are not merely statistics; they represent families plunged into poverty and a direct threat to the socio-economic stability of our communities and the country as a whole," states Paul Nzimande, NUM North East Acting Regional Secretary. "We view these actions as a clear form of economic sabotage by companies that prioritize profit over the well-being of their workforce and the nation. We will not stand idly by while our members are discarded."

The NUM calls on all stakeholders, including government, employers, and civil society, to acknowledge the severity of this crisis and work collaboratively to find sustainable solutions that prioritize job creation and protect the livelihoods of South African workers.

Members of the media are invited to cover this important demonstration and witness the collective voice of workers demanding an end to these devastating retrenchments.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Nzimande, NUM North East Acting Regional Secretary, 076 831 7143
Rangers Molapo, NUM North East Regional Chairperson, 083 282 1674

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