JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Platinum producer Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Thursday confirmed that workers have returned to their posts across all operations in the Rustenburg area after downing tools on Tuesday night in a protest against restructuring.
Amplats on Tuesday unveiled a plan to close four of its shafts, reconfigure its Rustenburg operations and sell its Union mines, which would result in a reduction of capital expenditure and production.
Workers embarked on a one-day protest against the proposal that could lead to the loss of 14 000 jobs – 13 000 of which were based in Rustenburg. CEO Chris Griffith vowed to create one non-mining job for each job lost in the restructure.
Spokesperson Mpumi Sithole told Mining Weekly Online that the group’s Khomanani, Thembelani and Tumela mines resumed normal activities on Wednesday night.
National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said the employees agreed to return to work to ensure that the compulsory 60-day negotiations surrounding the retrenchments went smoothly.
The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration earlier said it would mitigate the proposed retrenchments.