"I only have water in my fridge"
SOME of the dismissed Impala Platinum mine workers in Rustenburg feel they are fighting a losing battle.
Yesterday they said they had lost hope and were thinking of looking for jobs elsewhere but said Impala had blacklisted them. They said it had done this so they cannot look for other jobs.
The miners spoke to Sowetan soon after ANCYL leader Julius Malema and ANC deputy secretary Thandi Modise had addressed them.
They said their lives have been a living hell since their dismissal two months ago.
Angry mine workers, mostly rock-drill operators, said living for two consecutive months without a salary was frustrating. They said all they want is the mine to dismiss them fairly without any blacklisting.
Phindile Madikane, 46, who is a rock driller and earns R2,400 a month, said it was very difficult to make ends meet.
"Two of my children are doing matric and they have a lot of things they need, I cannot afford to see them suffer," he said.
But Madikane, who has 12 years' experience as a rock driller, said he would not allow Impala to put a stop to his life.
Sixolile Soni, 30, also a rock driller, said he did not have food.
"I only have water in my fridge. I want to go and look for a job somewhere else if they fail to agree to our demands," he said.
Soni feels that it is unfair for a young person like him to earn such a small amount of money.
Equally angry and disappointed was Mlendeni Zinqi, a 39-year-old mine worker who said his two children had to stay at home because he could not pay for their school fees. He said he wants to go back to work.
"I have had enough, my family is suffering, I don't feel like a man anymore."
He said he hopes Malema will help them with the negotiations.
The workers were given until 3pm yesterday to return to work or it would be the end of their jobs.
Impala Platinum dismissed 17,200 workers after a dispute over salary increases. They are demanding R9,000 a month after deductions.
According to NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka the workers had until 3pm yesterday to go back to work.
Since the strike began, the mine is said to have lost over R1.2-billion.
'Life has become a living hell for Implats workers'
"I only have water in my fridge"
SOME of the dismissed Impala Platinum mine workers in Rustenburg feel they are fighting a losing battle.
Yesterday they said they had lost hope and were thinking of looking for jobs elsewhere but said Impala had blacklisted them. They said it had done this so they cannot look for other jobs.
The miners spoke to Sowetan soon after ANCYL leader Julius Malema and ANC deputy secretary Thandi Modise had addressed them.
They said their lives have been a living hell since their dismissal two months ago.
Angry mine workers, mostly rock-drill operators, said living for two consecutive months without a salary was frustrating. They said all they want is the mine to dismiss them fairly without any blacklisting.
Phindile Madikane, 46, who is a rock driller and earns R2,400 a month, said it was very difficult to make ends meet.
"Two of my children are doing matric and they have a lot of things they need, I cannot afford to see them suffer," he said.
But Madikane, who has 12 years' experience as a rock driller, said he would not allow Impala to put a stop to his life.
Sixolile Soni, 30, also a rock driller, said he did not have food.
"I only have water in my fridge. I want to go and look for a job somewhere else if they fail to agree to our demands," he said.
Soni feels that it is unfair for a young person like him to earn such a small amount of money.
Equally angry and disappointed was Mlendeni Zinqi, a 39-year-old mine worker who said his two children had to stay at home because he could not pay for their school fees. He said he wants to go back to work.
"I have had enough, my family is suffering, I don't feel like a man anymore."
He said he hopes Malema will help them with the negotiations.
The workers were given until 3pm yesterday to return to work or it would be the end of their jobs.
Impala Platinum dismissed 17,200 workers after a dispute over salary increases. They are demanding R9,000 a month after deductions.
According to NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka the workers had until 3pm yesterday to go back to work.
Since the strike began, the mine is said to have lost over R1.2-billion.
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