News24 reports that on Thursday night a small group of mineworkers and residents blocked off a main road and burnt tyres in protest over unpaid salaries and the abandoned rescue of three bodies trapped underground at Vantage Goldfields’ Lily Mine.
Members of the KaloMshiyo community in Barberton joined some of the retrenched miners in their protest. Police arrived on Friday morning and cleared the scene. Sunday marks one year since a container in which three employees were working fell into a giant sinkhole when a supporting pillar underground collapsed. The bodies have not yet been recovered. The mine is under business rescue and the workers have not been paid since the end of October last year. Trade union Solidarity called for those responsible for the tragedy to be held accountable and is concerned about the business rescue practitioner making empty promises for the past 10 months, with nothing coming to fruition.
- Read this report by Nation Nyoka and Sisa Canca in full at News24
- Read too, Lily Mine exhausted all avenues to retrieve trapped miners, says business rescue firm, at EWN
- And also, Three moms unhappy with handling of Lily Mine tragedy, Pretoria News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page