THE fat cats are robbing the ordinary people and are dying from eating too much, while poor families are dying of hunger, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told former Aurora mineworkers yesterday.
Vavi was referring to President Jacob Zuma's nephew, Khulubuse Zuma, and former president Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela - the owners of Aurora mine, which has failed to pay the workers .
He promised the 700 former Aurora mineworkers in North West that the labour federation would make sure they received the R4.3-million owed to them.
Vavi was addressing the former mineworkers at Gwede hostel's shaft No 5 in Orkney, which Aurora took over from liquidated Pamodzi Gold.
Aurora has not paid the miners since March last year. Its trading licence to run the mine has now been terminated. Before the closure, the miners faced retrenchments and received low salaries.
Vavi promised the mineworkers that Cosatu would fight their case in court.
"We are going to make sure that the gold mine's owners adhere to the court order, we will support you until this is over," he said.
He said Aurora Empowerment Systems was owned by politically connected Khulubuse Zuma and Zondwa Mandela.
"The big names are stripping our people as if they do not have consciences, (and) these fat cats are dying from eating too much while poor families are dying of hunger and poverty," Vavi said.
He told the former miners that Aurora could still be a productive mine, creating hundreds of jobs, and promised them that there were investors who were interested in the mine.
"We have called an independent investigation of the embattled Aurora mining company and its former liquidators. There are other investors who are interested in taking over," he said.
Most of the former mineworkers survived through handouts from church organisations and other sources. Disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers also donated groceries, clothes and blankets to the value of R1-million.
One of the former workers, Elias van Rensburg, 62, said life had not been the same since the closure of the mine.
"I lost my job, my wife and even my children do not want to speak to me anymore."
Van Rensburg, who is the only white former employee at the hostel, said he felt robbed by the mine.
Ercilia Siabiane, 41, is another former employee who feels that Aurora had caused them suffering.
"I sell vegetables and peanuts to support my five children - three of them are at school," she said.
Francisco Conjo, 51, who was a chef at the mine, said he felt like a dead person.
"I cannot pay my debts and cannot provide for my family," he said.
The next court date will be on April 17.
Vavi takes a swipe at Aurora bosses
THE fat cats are robbing the ordinary people and are dying from eating too much, while poor families are dying of hunger, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told former Aurora mineworkers yesterday.
Vavi was referring to President Jacob Zuma's nephew, Khulubuse Zuma, and former president Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela - the owners of Aurora mine, which has failed to pay the workers .
He promised the 700 former Aurora mineworkers in North West that the labour federation would make sure they received the R4.3-million owed to them.
Vavi was addressing the former mineworkers at Gwede hostel's shaft No 5 in Orkney, which Aurora took over from liquidated Pamodzi Gold.
Aurora has not paid the miners since March last year. Its trading licence to run the mine has now been terminated. Before the closure, the miners faced retrenchments and received low salaries.
Vavi promised the mineworkers that Cosatu would fight their case in court.
"We are going to make sure that the gold mine's owners adhere to the court order, we will support you until this is over," he said.
He said Aurora Empowerment Systems was owned by politically connected Khulubuse Zuma and Zondwa Mandela.
"The big names are stripping our people as if they do not have consciences, (and) these fat cats are dying from eating too much while poor families are dying of hunger and poverty," Vavi said.
He told the former miners that Aurora could still be a productive mine, creating hundreds of jobs, and promised them that there were investors who were interested in the mine.
"We have called an independent investigation of the embattled Aurora mining company and its former liquidators. There are other investors who are interested in taking over," he said.
Most of the former mineworkers survived through handouts from church organisations and other sources. Disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers also donated groceries, clothes and blankets to the value of R1-million.
One of the former workers, Elias van Rensburg, 62, said life had not been the same since the closure of the mine.
"I lost my job, my wife and even my children do not want to speak to me anymore."
Van Rensburg, who is the only white former employee at the hostel, said he felt robbed by the mine.
Ercilia Siabiane, 41, is another former employee who feels that Aurora had caused them suffering.
"I sell vegetables and peanuts to support my five children - three of them are at school," she said.
Francisco Conjo, 51, who was a chef at the mine, said he felt like a dead person.
"I cannot pay my debts and cannot provide for my family," he said.
The next court date will be on April 17.
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