Evander Gold Mine to retrench 976 workers

With job bloodbath in the mining sector still continuing, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has reached an agreement on voluntary separation packages for employees with the Mpumalanga based Evander Gold Mine.

The workers mandated the union to sign the retrenchment deal to avoid the company from closing, NUM said Monday. Evander Gold Mine (EGM) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Resources.

The decision came after EGM served the NUM with Section 189(3) notice of the Labour Relations Act to retrench 2 400 workers.

“We concluded both the Voluntary Separation Package and retrenchment agreements before we can conclude retrenchment process, for the company to be able to source funds to avoid the closure of the mine which will affect more than 2000 employees, whom majority are our members,” NUM said in a statement on Monday.

Initially some 976 of the 2 400 workers would be retrenched, the union said in statement on Monday.

The parties agreed to start with VSPs and redeployment to other mines to attempt to reduce the number of workers facing retrenchment. “Should the VSP and redeployment not assist in avoiding retrenchment, we will then engage in the retrenchment process,” NUM said.

“Both agreements were presented in the mass meeting, the members gave the NUM a blessing to sign, so to avoid the closure of the mine.”

An attempt to get a company spokesperson failed.

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