Aurora and liquidators of Pamodzi have blood on their hands following Aurora employee's suicide - Solidarity: Solidarity will claim arrears salary for widow

Aurora Empowerment Systems and the liquidators of Pamodzi have blood on their hands, trade union Solidarity said today. This comes after the suicide of Marius Ferreira, a Solidarity member, last week. He and his family had lost everything due to the non-payment of his salary. The trade union will claim Ferreira's arrears salary for his widow.

According to Gideon du Plessis, Deputy General Secretary of Solidarity, Ferreira was an employee of the former Pamodzi Mine and worked for Aurora Empowerment Systems until his death last week. Aurora owes the Ferreira family approximately R170 000. "Marius, who was a fitter, was one of the only ten employees left over from the 5 200 employees who started working for Aurora in 2009," Du Plessis said.

"He continued working unremittingly until his death, in spite of having lost his house, furniture and cars. According to his wife, Susan, the fact the he could no longer provide for his family took its toll and he ended his life by drinking ant poison," Du Plessis explained.

Solidarity Helping Hand appointed a counsellor to support Aurora employees after the trade union had heard of at least another three suicide threats and a person's threat to commit a family murder.

"Aurora and the liquidators of Pamodzi have blood on their hands," Du Plessis said. "Aurora's owners, who live in luxury, destroyed the mining asset through their looting and the liquidators are merely looking on. Meanwhile, thousands of families have to rely on food parcels and the help of family members to survive. They've lost everything," he added.

The trade union has already sent Aurora two sets of letters of demand setting out arrears salaries exceeding R4,6 million. The trade union estimates that the outstanding claims could amount to as much as R12 million. "We buried Marius Ferreira last weekend, but his claim will not be buried in the Aurora debacle. We will continue to fight for everyone who needs our help," Du Plessis concluded.

Marius Ferreira:

Statement issued by Gideon du Plessis, Deputy General Secretary: Solidarity, April 8 2011

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