WHILE a number of platinum mines were hit by strikes last year, the Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBP) Group has managed to avoid industrial action.
Group chief executive Steve Phiri said this was generally due to good relations RBP enjoyed with organised labour.
"You behave in a way that makes people feel that you're respecting them and you're not going to bump against them just because you can," he said.
"Right from the outset we set out to build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect for one another and treating the workers as people, and as partners of the company.
"The relationship will be characterised by bumps on the way and mistrust as we develop the trust, but once people see you really are genuine in what you say, then they start taking you seriously," Phiri told Sowetan on the sidelines of the company's annual results presentation at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange offices yesterday.
He said the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the majority union in Rustenburg's platinum belt, has been attempting to organise workers at the RBP mines.
"I don't blame them [Amcu], they have got a small percentage at this stage. Forms have been coming and we are verifying them but we are comfortable to work with anyone," said Phiri.
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is the majority union at RBP. The annual results showed the company raised R1.5-billion in equity from investors in the 2014 financial year while the operations generated R1.4-billion cash.
"Our cash flow generation once again exceeded all our expectations, funding R14.3-billion (85.1%) of our total group capital expenditure for the year of R17-billion, including the R13-billion invested in Styldrift 1 and 2 projects.
"This left the group with a cash or near-cash balance of R19-billion at year end," read the report.
The group's headline earnings increased by R157-million to R4.4-billion in 2014 from R2.8-billion in 2013. Net profit rose to R6-billion from 2013's R4.5-billion.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Royal results for Bafokeng
WHILE a number of platinum mines were hit by strikes last year, the Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBP) Group has managed to avoid industrial action.
Group chief executive Steve Phiri said this was generally due to good relations RBP enjoyed with organised labour.
"You behave in a way that makes people feel that you're respecting them and you're not going to bump against them just because you can," he said.
"Right from the outset we set out to build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect for one another and treating the workers as people, and as partners of the company.
"The relationship will be characterised by bumps on the way and mistrust as we develop the trust, but once people see you really are genuine in what you say, then they start taking you seriously," Phiri told Sowetan on the sidelines of the company's annual results presentation at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange offices yesterday.
He said the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the majority union in Rustenburg's platinum belt, has been attempting to organise workers at the RBP mines.
"I don't blame them [Amcu], they have got a small percentage at this stage. Forms have been coming and we are verifying them but we are comfortable to work with anyone," said Phiri.
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is the majority union at RBP. The annual results showed the company raised R1.5-billion in equity from investors in the 2014 financial year while the operations generated R1.4-billion cash.
"Our cash flow generation once again exceeded all our expectations, funding R14.3-billion (85.1%) of our total group capital expenditure for the year of R17-billion, including the R13-billion invested in Styldrift 1 and 2 projects.
"This left the group with a cash or near-cash balance of R19-billion at year end," read the report.
The group's headline earnings increased by R157-million to R4.4-billion in 2014 from R2.8-billion in 2013. Net profit rose to R6-billion from 2013's R4.5-billion.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos