The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is seeking the intervention of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe to save the jobs of more than 1 000 workers from Seriti Resources who are facing retrenchment to ensure the companys mines operate on a commercially sustainable basis.
Seriti Resources purchased South32s South African thermal coal business recently while it also operates assets formerly owned by Anglo American. The company, which operates large-scale opencast and underground mines, is a big supplier of thermal coal to Eskom.
Seriti Resources confirmed to Business Report yesterday that it had started a Section 189A consultation processes on September 16.
It said this was likely to affect up to 1 241 roles, of which 1 137 employees are likely to be retrenched from its Middelburg Mines, Klipspruit and its corporate services team. The team was being resized to service a smaller base of operational mines.
The initiation of the consultation process under Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act took the NUM Highveld Region by complete surprise. It said yesterday that it had been taken aback and angered by the total disrespect and impulsive decision taken by Seriti Resources to retrench mineworkers.
