The National Union Mineworkers (NUM) is shocked and saddened by Kumba Iron Ore intention to retrench workers at their operations Kolomela and Sishen in the Northen Cape.
Kumba Iron Ore served the NUM with Section 189 notice of the Labour Relations Act to retrench workers last week.
The notice suggests cutting 24 full-time job at Kolomela and 151 full-time jobs at Sishen.
"I can confirm that we received this bad news from Kumba that they will cut jobs for both of their operations in the Northern Cape mines that are Kolomela at Postamansburg and Sishen in Kathu. Unfortunately when the mining companies do not perform well to maximise their profit they resort to retrenching poor and ordinary workers," said Lucas Phiri, NUM Chief Negotiator at Kumba Iron Ore.
The economy of these two towns relies on these mines and this defeat the objective of the South African government to create more jobs rather than cutting jobs. These number sound small but when one realise that one mineworker look after more than 10 family members," Phiri added.
The NUM will engage with Kumba Iron Ore management to halt the retrenchments and if the engagements do not work, we will definitely embark on a strike.
There is a need for a real transformation in the mining industry that emphasise on human development, not only profits.
The logic of capital requires constant growth in order to accumulate wealth, but this growth is, unfortunately, dependent on exploiting mineworkers who still earn poverty wages.
The NUM will fight tooth and nail to make sure that its members are not retrenched cheaply. We remain fearless, committed, dedicated and unshaken in fighting for our members.