Tense Standoff Underground: South African Gold Mine Union Dispute

In a dramatic turn of events, a group of miners affiliated with a union that is not registered and recognised at the mine, is holding hundreds of their colleagues underground for a second day at a gold mine in South Africa over a union dispute, according to police and mine officials. The incident occurred at the Modder East mine in Springs, east of Johannesburg, and has led to 15 miners being injured in scuffles.

The CEO of New Kleinfontein Gold Mine company, Jon Hericourt, stated that the situation escalated on Monday when miners from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) prevented hundreds of others from leaving after their night shift ended. Hericourt revealed that there were 562 mineworkers underground, with approximately 110 to 120 of them being AMCU supporters. The standoff has resulted in a tense situation, with mining equipment potentially being used as weapons.

The South African Police Services issued a statement confirming that mine officials were in talks with union representatives to resolve the issue, with police on standby. Despite attempts to communicate via mine telephones and two-way radios, neither police nor mine officials have been able to establish contact with anyone underground. The situation is exacerbated by conflicting statements, as the unregistered union insists that it represents the majority of employees and that the workers underground are staging a protest, denying any hostage situation.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the sole recognised union at the mine, has condemned the situation, asserting that its members are being held against their will. NUM representative Mlulameli Mweli called for law enforcement agencies to intervene and arrest those responsible, emphasising the urgency of the matter.

This incident brings back memories of the rivalry between the NUM and AMCU unions, which played a part in the Marikana massacre in 2012, one of South Africa’s most tragic mining episodes. The standoff at the Modder East mine underscores the volatile nature of labour relations in the country’s mining industry and the urgent need for resolution to prevent further escalation.