Harmony Gold CEO Peter Steenkamp
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – With the 1 700-odd employees who staged a 48-hour wildcat underground sit-in at the Kusasalethu mine, near Carletonville, safely back on surface on Friday, JSE-listed Harmony Gold has initiated an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the workers’ actions.
Production at the mine, which was halted on Wednesday to ensure the safety of the workers, will resume over the weekend.
“Employees returned to surface shortly before midnight on Thursday, following all-night discussions between management and union leadership,” said Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp on Friday.
On Wednesday, the contingent of workers involved refused to return to surface after their morning shift, with no demands being immediately made or indications as to the grievances they were protesting.
It is still unclear what instigated the sudden strike action.
The senior leadership of the operation’s majority union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, had negotiated with the workers on site, while Harmony engaged with their employees underground and the unions’ branch and national leadership representatives.
“We are pleased that a resolution has been reached and that all our employees have returned to surface safely,” Steenkamp said in an update.