By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
At least 200 of the 540 miners have emerged from the underground workings of Gold One’s Modder East mine in Springs after they have been held underground since Sunday.
Gold One CEO Jonathan Hericourt said, “A large group of them have started to come to surface, “we don’t know what’s happening with the rest of the people.”
The workers were prevented from coming back to the surface in what is believed to be a dispute between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).
NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mamburu said the workers managed to escape on Wednesday morning.
“They managed to overpower those who were holding them hostage. That is when they get an opportunity to run away and come to the surface. The majority of them are crying and very emotional. They say they nearly died underground because of the hostage situation.
“So, while we were talking to them, they were being taken to the medical stations for checkups.
“They say they are willing to speak to the police to expose the ringleaders who were responsible for the hostage situation.
“As the NUM, we are calling on the police to take strong action against the ring leaders who were responsible for this hostage situation,” he said.
Police spokesperson Brenda Muridili says they are treating this as a hostage situation.
Muridili says Provincial Commissioner Elias Mawela held discussions with the mine’s management and a Joint Operational Centre (JOC) was established
“The JOC comprises of members from Public Order Policing, Tactical Response Unit, Visible Policing, Detectives, SAPS Hostage Negotiators, Crime Intelligence, EMPD as well as Mine Security personnel among other stakeholders,” says Muridili.
The police also confirmed that three more people had been taken hostage after they were sent down to assist a person who was injured.
Meanwhile, the company’s legal head Ziyaad Hassam, disputed claims that workers have been trying to move from NUM to AMCU, only for the company to delay the process.
“For the past five months, AMCU has been seeking organisational rights within the mine.
“We have a closed-shop agreement with the NUM, and for as long as the closed-shop agreement remains in force, AMCU’s request for organisational rights is subordinate to the closed-shop agreement.
“This was corroborated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and the Labour Court. So the allegation about the company dragging its feet is not correct,” he said.
However AMCU has signed a fresh petition to be recognised at the mine.
Amcu held a mass meeting with others outside the mine perimeters on Wednesday, circulating a new petition.
More than 100 people joined the petition to terminate the closed shop agreement between mine management and NUM.