JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – A group of shareholders on Monday served a letter on the board of junior platinum miner Wesizwe calling for a meeting of shareholders at which more information could be provided on the summary dismissal of founding Wesizwe CEO Michael Solomon and director Robert Rainer.

This follows last week's Wesizwe board request that Solomon and Rainey step down "with immediate effect".

Mining Weekly Online has been told that a legal process has begun and that the Wesizwe board is obliged to inform all shareholders of the request for the meeting within 14 days. Thereafter, it has 21 days to give notice of the date and venue of the meeting.

A source informs Mining Weekly Online that the group of shareholders who have requested the meeting collectively represents a significant percentage of the company's total shareholding.

Wesizwe financial director Nyasha Tengawarima is currently acting as CEO until the board can appoint a suitable replacement.

Solomon and Rainey gave notice last week of their intention to challenge their removal.

Mining Weekly Online was unable, at the time, to obtain response from the Wesizwe phones, nor was it possible to leave a message for Wesizwe chairperson Dr Iraj Abedien. Wesizwe investor relations company College Hill would not comment when approached last week.

Solomon has told Bloomberg News that his removal was "in bad faith" and therefore "invalid".

Last week, Reuters reported that Wesizwe's shares rose 5% on talk that the company was a takeover target of Impala Platinum, the world's second-largest platinum producer.

Wesizwe, an exploration and mining company that is 52% black owned, has been under a cautionary announcement since October 27.

The company, which is developing the Frischgewaagd-Ledig project, has engaged in strategic positioning in a deal with Anglo Platinum and Platinum Group Metals of Canada.

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