NUM concerned with companies still operating on reduced staff during lockdown

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said they were worried about several mining companies that were still continuing to operate on reduced staff across the country amid the 21-day national lockdown, eNCA reported.

“Although most of the staff aren’t working, it is concerning that some of these companies are still operating.

“This clearly highlights the fact that these companies do not care about the lives of their workers,” said NUM President, Joseph Montisetse on Thursday.

Montisetse said the decision for some workers to continue showing up to their jobs was barbaric and the companies just wanted to make money.

“All these companies care about is making money and money can never outweigh the lives of those workers still showing up to their jobs. The decision to continue operating is barbaric, reckless, inhuman and irresponsible,” he said.

The union’s president said they wanted to know why the mines were still operating during the lockdown, because it indicated that someone in power told them to continue operating.

“We are concerned with the fact that someone gave these mining companies the right to operate during lockdown. The union wants to know who gave the green-light.”

The union’s special National Executive Committee (NEC) pronounced last week that the coal mining companies that supply Eskom’s power stations with coal daily will be regarded as essential service during lockdown.

The NEC said the companies that did not supply Eskom with coal were expected to comply with the regulations set during the lockdown and were only allow to operate on care and maintenance.

The union said workers remaining in the care and maintenance of the mines should be provided with basic necessities such as sanitisers, proper food, water, protective clothing and medical care.

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