JOHANNESBURG – About 1 500 members of the National Union of Mineworkers have resolved to press on with a strike at Dwarsrivier mine in Limpopo to back demands for various allowances, the union said on Thursday.
Underground, surface and administration workers have now been on strike for three days, demanding that the company provide a housing subsidy, allocate transport to and from work, and increase its medical aid contribution to 60%.
The Dwarsrivier mine in Burgersfort boasts one of the largest chromium reserves in South Africa.
"Our members are fed up and angered by the ongoing conduct by Dwarsrivier mine management (which is) busy doing away with all agreements signed, and replacing them with their own policies," NUM northeast regional secretary Phillip Mankge said.
"Our members are prepared to fight this company. They are prepared to march to the company's head offices in Sandton, Johannesburg . . . to force the directors to accede to our demands."
Mankge said the NUM in the region was in the process of applying for a secondary strike which would result in all contractors on site also downing tools.