Aurora saga takes a new turn

THE Department of Justice yesterday fired Enver Motala and Gavin Gainsford as liquidators of Pamodzi Gold Estate

The decision by the department was a possible turning point in the Pamodzi and Aurora saga, trade union Solidarity's deputy general-secretary Gideon du Plessis said.

"The trade union is demanding that the current looters of the former Pamodzi mines in Springs and Orkney, Aurora Empowerment Systems, be fired as the managers of the mining asset."

This came after Solidarity served a liquidation application amounting to R3,1million on Aurora last Friday to force the mining company to pay outstanding salaries or to close its doors. Aurora has until May 31 to oppose the application and if the company does not oppose the action, the matter will be heard in the Pretoria high court on June 7.

The union is also expected to address the portfolio committee on mining resources in Cape Town on Friday over the crisis at Aurora mines in Grootvlei and Orkney.

Yesterday, Motala was fuming at the master of the high court's decision.

"It's a joke. What the master of the high court did was totally unlawful.

"We will bring an urgent application against it," said Motala.

He said it was unacceptable that they would be fired without being allowed a chance to hear what were the complaints in the manner in which they had handled the process.

But Tlali Tlali, spokesperson for the Department of Justice, said the department was satisfied that its decision would do justice to the process.

"We have applied our minds properly on this matter," he said.

He said part of the basket of factors which attached weight to this conclusion was the failure or refusal of the liquidators to appear before the master of the high court in terms of section 381 of the inquiry.

This process entailed that the liquidators (in terms of the Companies Act) provide information to the master of the high court so that he or she can satisfy himself or herself that everything was on course.

Tlali said that part of the oversight duties of the master of the high court extended to the conduct of the liquidators.