JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) have agreed to “engage positively” over the following 90 days to discuss the business review proposals and to determine how they can best work together to achieve their shared objective for the benefit of all stakeholders.
This followed “constructive discussions” between the two parties on Thursday, Amplats said in a statement on Friday.
Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu and Amplats CEO Chris Griffith led the meeting on Thursday.
The meeting followed a slamming of the JSE-listed Amplats by Shabangu on Tuesday, who stated that her department had been blindsided by the company’s announcement that it would undertake a restructuring programme that would see 14 000 jobs lost.
Meanwhile, the miner said that the recent engagement would proceed in parallel with the consultation process that had already started under Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act.
There would also be continuing discussions in relation to the economic challenges facing the platinum industry as a whole as part of the Mining Industry Growth Development and Employment Task Team process, the company said.
“We welcome the opportunity for continuing engagement with Minister Shabangu and her team to reach our shared objective of creating a sustainable, competitive and profitable platinum business for the benefit of all stakeholders and for South Africa,” Griffiths said on Friday.
Updates on the progress of the engagement would be provided as discussions progressed.