Sibanye aims to resume production

PRECIOUS metals producer Sibanye Gold aims to resume production at its strike-hit Cooke Mine later this week, but first plans to conduct safety inspections in the shafts yesterday. A company spokesperson also said that the company needed to wrap up an appeals process for around 1 500 miners who face possible dismissal for taking part in a violent wildcat strike that started almost three weeks ago in protest against a company drive to root out illegal miners. Illegal gold mining has plagued South Africa for decades, with bullion pilfered from both disused and operating mines, and Sibanye has vowed it will clear all illegal miners from its shafts by January 2018. “We hope to have the appeals process done by the middle of the week and then we can resume production later this week,” company spokesperson James Wellsted said. Workers at the mine downed tools over resentment at the company crackdown against illegal miners, which has included the arrest of employees for collusion and a ban on taking food underground. A total of 461 illegal miners have been arrested at Cooke since the stoppage began. – Reuters