Solidarity will also take legal action against Gold One Mine over hostage drama
19 December 2023
Solidarity will also hold the management of the Gold One gold mine in Gauteng accountable for the hostage drama that lasted approximately five days at this mine near Springs.
Following legal consultation, court documents were prepared with which Solidarity will address the mine’s lack of action to prevent or defuse the situation.
Gold One’s failure to guarantee employee safety is highlighted in the documents. Among other things, this is because vigorous and earlier action was not taken against criminal elements within other unions. In fact, the criminals are still at large.
During the so-called sit-in strike that began on 7 December and only ended on 11 December, employees were held hostage without food and were later also humiliated, racially insulted and seriously assaulted.
This incident is regarded in a very serious light, and according to Adv Paul Mardon, deputy general secretary of strategy and sustainability at Solidarity, the guilty parties must be brought to justice.
“Solidarity demands serious action against all parties responsible for this despicable action. Along with the proposed legal action against Gold One, we also call on all employers to comply with legislation on safety and health in the workplace, otherwise they will have to bear the consequences. “If a situation such as this one at Gold One is repeated, we will take penal and other steps against the perpetrators, but certainly also against employers who neglect their duty,” Mardon said.
According to Mardon, Solidarity demands that in future the mine management and the South African Police Service (SAPS) should give priority to these situations.
“Employees who are guilty of this should be summarily dismissed as well as criminally prosecuted. It is unacceptable that apparent labour disputes and trade union rivalry and politics result in such blatant illegal and criminal actions.
“This endangers the health and lives of innocent workers,” he said.
Mardon further emphasised that such events also seriously threaten the sustainability of the struggling mining industry in South Africa. Moreover, it also endangers the lives of miners, and these include members of Solidarity.
“Solidarity therefore appeals to all its members employed in the mining sector to contact their organisers immediately if the working environment appears to be unsafe. The situation must then be evaluated.
“If this is indeed the case, we will recommend them to withdraw their labour in terms of section 23 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, until their safety can be guaranteed,” Mardon added.
Solidarity also appealed to the Minerals Council of South Africa as well as the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and the Department of Employment and Labour, to actively intervene and to take steps to guarantee workers’ safety.
See the legal documents sent to Gold One here.
Issued by Paul Mardon, Deputy General Secretary: Strategy and Sustainability, 19 December 2023
