GoldOne gets interdict against strike as hostages remain underground

GoldOne has confirmed to The Citizen that it has succeeded in interdicting a strike in which more than 543 National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) workers are being held “hostage” at its mine in Springs.

The NUM members are allegedly being held against their will by members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).

The mineworkers have been underground in the Springs mine since Sunday.

Interdict

Ziyaad Hassam, head of legal affairs at GoldOne told The Citizen the interdict prevents the miners from striking.

“I can confirm that we were at Labour Court yesterday afternoon on an urgent basis. We were granted an interdict. The interdict prevents AMCU or its members from striking illegally, assaulting any employees or holding anybody in any place against their will.”

Hassam said the miners were still underground.

“We’re doing everything we can to get them back up.”

ALSO READ: Hundreds still underground in alleged hostage situation at GoldOne Mine in Springs

Hassam also clarified that the miners were not in a voluntary sit in.

“It was basically employees who went down for the night shift on Sunday evening and people who claim to have been acting under the auspices of AMCU, who prevented all of the employees from coming back up. So, [we] deem that to be a hostage situation because they’re being kept underground against their will.

Hostages

Earlier, unconfirmed reports alleged that AMCU members welded entry and exit points shut, leaving a closely monitored single point of access to GoldOne’s property.

NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu claimed its members were allegedly assaulted.

“Nine NUM members got injured after they were assaulted by the hooligans who were preventing them from coming to the surface. They are still preventing them from coming to the surface.

“NUM is also worried that there are a lot of women who are being held hostage underground. This is unacceptable, “ Mammburu said.

AMCU denied reports the NUM miners were being held hostage at GoldOne mine.

ALSO READ: More than 540 miners held hostage underground in Springs