PROVIDING FOOD AID On July 10, AMCU delivered more than 500 food parcels to the Barbrooks mine to assist members that have not received salaries since April
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has been sending food parcels to its members at the Lily gold mine, in Barberton, Mpumalanga.
South African gold miner Vantage Goldfields, which owns the Barbrook and Lily gold mines, entered into business rescue in April, after ceasing operations at the Lily mine in early February, owing to a ground collapse which left three miners trapped underground.
AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa says the situation at the Lily mine is “dire and very challenging”, which is why the union has intervened to assist its distressed members.
Further, on July 10, AMCU delivered more than 500 food parcels to the Barbrooks mine to assist members that have not received salaries since April.
Mathunjwa comments that the ripple effect of the ground collapse at Lily is being felt by the company’s mineworkers who have had to survive for months without any form of remuneration.
He says that, with Canadian gold producer and investment company AfroCan Resources Gold last month reneging on a R171-million investment agreement with Vantage to restart operations at the Lily mine, workers have once again been left in limbo.
“To help our members during this trying time, AMCU has distributed food parcels at the Barbrooks mine to provide support while we try our best to help reach a sustainable solution,” Mathunjwa says.
He points out that the parcels come at a time when many of the mineworkers have had health complaints that have been linked to the stress experienced over the past few months.
“AMCU is dedicated to exhausting as many resources as possible to help our members during this crisis and we will work tirelessly to do all in our power to put an end to this problem,” Mathunjwa concludes.