Workers demand Khulubuse millions by Christmas
Abandoned Aurora staff to benefit
BUSINESSMAN Khulubuse Zuma has been given 52 months to pay R23-million in damages to Pamodzi and Aurora liquidators.
President Jacob Zuma’s nephew reached a settlement with the liquidators yesterday.
“Khulubuse said he will pay the money while Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zondwa Mandela said he will not pay anything,” trade union Solidarity’s general secretary Gideon du Plessis said.
The settlement comes after Khulubuse, Zondwa, Solly, Fazel and Zubeida Bhana, and Yaseem Theba were in June last year found liable for the costs of destruction of mining assets following their acquisition.
About 5 300 workers were left jobless.
“The Bhana family members came forward and we reached a settlement agreement with them but they reneged on the deal,” Du Plessis said. He said the Bhanas and Theba had failed to comply with the R5.9-million damages agreement and were consequently sequestrated yesterday.
Du Plessis said workers would get access to their money if they register as a creditors and are accepted by the Master of the High Court.
“Solidarity is representing 182 workers, who have all been registered as creditors.
“There will be an awareness campaign … and the workers must approach individual liquidators who will register their claim to the Master of the High Court.
“The first meeting of the creditors will take place and it will be established how many claims there are.”
The liquidators will make a recommendation in terms of the distribution of all the claims, he said.
“The assets of the Bhanas and Mandela will be attached and income will be generated from the sale.”
Du Plessis said R5-million will go to legal fees and the balance to the workers.
National Union of Mineworkers deputy president Joseph Montisetsi said: “It has been a very long battle but we have arrived at the final point for them to pay.
“I congratulate Khulubuse Zuma for showing leadership and doing the right thing as he understands that he has to account.”
He said the money from Zuma should be placed in a trust to earn interest until payments have been extracted from the others.
Montisetsi said the bulk of the workers are still based at the Aurora Mine premises in Ekurhuleni while others have relocated to Rustenburg and Matlosana.
“Some of the workers are from Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho and we will try to trace them,” he said.
Former Aurora employee Paul Pelembe said he was pleased Zuma has agreed to pay but would be happier if the workers could receive the cash before the festive season. “Though the money might not be much, it would assist here and there.”
Pelembe, 51, who worked for Aurora from September 2009 until March 2010, said life has been difficult since the mine closed down as he has been struggling to get a job. “It is tough to be middle aged and unemployed because the employers are looking for young blood.”