By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Gold One Modder East operation in Springs confirmed on Sunday that a miner managed to escape an underground sit-in at the mine.
More than 400 miners failed to resurface following their overnight shift on Thursday.
The second sit-in at the mine, east of Johannesburg, is in protest against the dismissal of more than 50 workers and the recognition of the mineworkers union AMCU.
The mine’s head of legal, Ziyaad Hassam, said this brings the total number of miners who managed to escape to three.
“Those underground are complaining that the food is running out, so we are concerned about the safety and health of the miners. Police are dealing with the demands that were received from the miners. Both unions (NUM and AMCU) have distanced themselves from the situation, and both unions have committed to do everything they can to diffuse the situation.
“Furthermore, the miners want to emerge from underground. This situation is developing,” said Hassam.
Hassam said over 400 people remain underground.
“The instigators of the hostage situation are demanding that all employees dismissed following their involvement in the previous hostage situation be reinstated.
“We have made it very clear to both unions that should any employee be dissatisfied with the outcome of the disciplinary process; they are at liberty to lodge internal appeals as well as to refer the matter to the CCMA.”
Hassam said the management engaged with Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, who also labelled the matter as a hostage situation.
“He also urged the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) to assist in deescalating the situation, however, AMCU has distanced itself from this event and will only meet with the management on the 14 December following the termination of the closed shop agreement with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM),” he added.
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) regional organiser Victor Ngwane said one hostage was released and found bruised and battered underground.
“The information we have is that they’re assaulting people underground. There’s one miner that came to the surface beaten and assaulted.”
He warned that the captors are preparing to up the ante.
NUM has had exclusive rights to represent workers at the mine since 2012.
Mantashe was at the mine on Sunday afternoon as teams at the surface worked to de-escalate the situation.
He said the police would have to intervene.
“The situation changed dramatically; it became a hostage drama in the sense that three people came out underground heavily beaten.
“And once you begin to people up, it means they are underground against their will and therefore will be dealt with as an offence requiring police intervention,” he said.