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6 October, 2008
Some 50,000 National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members amassed in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, 4 October. The mobilisation was in protest to the mining industry’s failed implementation of equality measures in the senior ranks of companies, and racial prejudices that still haunt employment practices.
NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told the ICEM that the union is seeking transformation – meaning accelerated “employment opportunities for women and for the historically disadvantaged who have been denied senior level positions” by the country’s mining houses.
Seshoka also said transformation means a faster end to same-sex hostels in and around mining enterprises.
Seven of NUM’s 11 regional branches took to the streets on 4 October. They marched some eight kilometres from Beyers Naude Square to Joburg’s city centre and the Chamber of Mines offices.
NUM Gen. Sec. Frans Baleni
There, NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni and President Senzeni Zokwana presented a memorandum to mining industry leaders, as well as to Business Unity South Africa, the Mining Qualifications Authority, and the Department of Minerals and Energy.
The NUM is upset that 14 years after adoption of the Mining Charter, the industry is no closer to implementing equality provisions than when the landmark agreement was signed.
Seshoka points to two recent incidents detailing unfairness. At AngloPlatinum Ltd., the world’s largest producer of platinum majority owned by AngloAmerican, the company’s only black general manager was sacked at the Lebowa Atok mine. The person was fired for alleged production shortfalls but, in fact, the mine is rumoured to be up for sale.
The other incident saw a shop steward at DRDGold’s Blyvoor mine suspended for taking up the case of a worker who claimed racial insults were levelled at him.
NUM President Senzeni Zokwana
Saturday’s march and manifestation may not be last the Chamber and its affiliates hears from the NUM. If progress isn’t seen, South Africa’s largest ICEM affiliate will consider work stoppages at selected companies.
Meanwhile, 2008’s death toll in South Africa’s mines rose to at least 130 after four deaths over the past nine days. Two of those deaths occurred at AngloGold’s TauTona mine. A miner was killed underground on 2 October there when ground caved in. On 27 September at TauTona, another miner was killed in a similar incident caused by an earth tremour.
Also on 2 October, a waterjet operator inside Harmony Gold’s Elandstrand mine died 2,900 metres beneath the surface due to a cave-in. The fourth death was an AngloPlatinum miner at Rustenburg who died in a hospital on 1 October from injuries he suffered in a deadly tragedy on 26 August.
On 2 October, 3,000 miners at AngloGold’s Savuka mine stopped work for 24 hours in accord with NUM policy to take a Day of Mourning following a mine death. A comrade died at Savuka, the world’s deepest gold mine (3,777 metres) on 25 September.