Hundreds of miners still stuck underground for over 51 hours

A group of 41 mineworkers who are alleged to be holding 500 of their colleagues hostage underground on the East Rand are apparently armed and controlling their movements.

The details emerged on Tuesday as tensions and panic set outside Gold One Modder East Operations in Springs as the families of the miners who have been underground since Sunday and some employees waited to hear of developments.

Ziyaad Hassam, the mine’s head of legal, said it had been informed by some employees held against their will that the hostage takers, who are allegedly members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), were armed.

He said the victims were members of the National Union of Mineworkers.

“We have been informed they are armed and taking control of people’s movements. We are not sure on the types of the weapons they are carrying,” said Hassam.

He said there were a few company phone lines underground that were being used by the trapped workers to get information out.

By 8pm on Tuesday, the workers had been underground for a total of 51 hours.

Hassam said a negotiator from the police was on site and had been briefed by mine management. He said the company had approached the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to conduct an emergency conciliation between the unions.

“We’ve been in mediation and speaking to the senior leaders of the union and it’s been a long period speaking to Amcu and they are insistent on their approach. They are even sending food parcels down there so that the miners can be comfortable as we move on with this process,” Hassam said.

Musa Khalipha, Amcu’s representative at the mine, denied there was a hostage situation.

“The reason there are people sitting underground is that Gold One is refusing to grant us organisational rights despite us doing everything by the book.”

He said Gold One should have held elections to determine which union had a majority but failed to do, adding that the union had gone to the CCMA and secured a certificate to strike.

However, he said the company interdicted the strike due to the alleged hostage situation.

Hassam called on police to intervene, saying 15 employees were injured.

The company has 1,550 employees in total.

The employees are aged between the early 20s and late 50s, and Hassam said it was concerned about their health.

“It’s really been difficult, especially with the miners considering they're going on 48 hours now [at 5pm on Tuesday] being held down there and they must be exhausted, they are mentally fatigued and they are starving. We want to get them out of there as soon as possible but Amcu remains reluctant.

“We have been contact with the families and it’s been hard on them. The unions have set up operational desks as well as the police. They are here to just really keep the peace on the surface here should anything happen. There are still only 15 people injured and it’s hard for them. We keep sending water and food down there, especially for those with chronic illnesses,” Hassam said.

“Though we are getting medication down there, some of the conditions require regular meals and there’s all sorts of complications that we are concerned about. The longer they stay, the worse it can become.”

He said the company and NUM had a close-shop agreement that has been running since 2012 and Amcu only started contacting Gold One six months ago requesting for a recognition agreement.

“We have no recognition agreement with Amcu. They made an application to be recognised and it is still pending.”

Labour lawyer Tutu Mokoena said this “means that no other union can be recognised by the employer unless that union can recruit the majority of those employees”.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said: “The management of the mine is in talks with the union and the police are on standby to monitor any eventualities.”

NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu claimed there were 28 women over the age of 60 who are being held hostage. “In total there are 67 women underground.”

Gold One CEO Jon Hericourt said: “We are actively engaging with relevant authorities, including the DMRE [department of mineral resources & energy and energy] and the SAPS to ensure the safety and protection of all parties involved.”

sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za; mashalek@sowetan.co.za