LIMPOPO – Palabora Copper expected its employees to report for duty on Friday according to a report on Mining Weekly.

This after the company resolved issues with communities that brought operations to a standstill a week ago.

The Ba-Phalaborwa community embarked on an illegal protest last week, leading to the suspension of the Palabora Mining Company subsidiary’s smelter, refinery and processing plant after employees were prevented from reporting for duty through intimidation.

Following the destructive protests, where the community allegedly stopped employee buses, burnt contractors’ vehicles and vandalised property, the communities and the local authorities worked together in the various areas to remove the rubble blocking the roads, the company said in an update on Friday.

The community forum on Wednesday agreed to halt the protest action after accusing the company of sidelining the local community and businesses for jobs and contracts, failing to inject appropriate funds into the local communities’ development and failing to secure a steel plant project for the province.