NUM pushes back against RBCT’s decision to terminate Optimum’s terminal use
Labour union the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Highveld Region has noted “with regret” the decision taken by the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) board that seeks to indicate that Optimum Colliery, which remains under business rescue, will no longer be allowed to export coal using the allocated terminal.
The NUM says the decision will have a negative impact on the livelihoods of mine workers and the community who depend on them in the Steve Tshwete municipality, in Mpumalanga.
“What is disturbing more is the fact that the RBCT board did not even bother to engage with the NUM, the recognised labour union in Optimum Colliery. The board decided willy-nilly to take such a resolution that, in our view as the NUM, is detrimental and regressive,” the union said in a statement on January 13.
The NUM said it noted “with anger and sadness” the decision of the RBCT board, but that it was of the view that the assigned business rescue practitioners (BRPs) were not assisting the situation, claiming that the BRPs were no longer serving the interests of the workers by rescuing the business.
The union alleged that the BRPs were taking advantage of the coal price and were embarking on a self-interested profit-making endeavor instead of rescuing the business.
The NUM said it would be requesting a meeting with the BRPs, the RBCT board and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
The NUM said the first beneficiaries should be former employees of the Optimum coal mine, stating that the primary focus of the BRPs should be to ensure that these employees are employed so that they can continue to support their families.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
ZF Aftermarket is the after-sales division of the world-renowned German ZF group, a global leader in mobility technology.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Complete range of security sealing solutions including security seals bags and labels.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
