JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The 66 rock-drill operators (RDOs) who staged an underground sit-in at Gold One’s Modder East operations, in Springs, earlier this week, have resurfaced, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Friday.
The RDOs, who demanded a R250 bonus per blast, spent five days underground without eating and only drinking water. The RDOs demands still stood.
The NUM added that the RDOs had requested that management not take disciplinary action against them.
"We did not want to come out until our leadership convinced us to because of health reasons. We were prepared to die underground for our demands," NUM member Peter Witbooi said.