RBM says no link between unrest, murder

RICHARDS Bay Minerals (RBM) said there was no link between recent community unrest, the killing of two youths and the company’s head of human resources in the area last week.

RBM, which is 74 percent owned by Rio Tinto, produces ilmenite, the main source of the titanium dioxide that is used in products ranging from paints to plastics, has been rocked by community unrest.

Ronny Nzimande, a human resource manager at RBM, died in a hail of bullets outside his home last week, while a youth leader involved in a jobseekers’ committee, along with his relative, were murdered in the previous four weeks.

Five senior managers were suspended days before Nzimande was killed.

RBM spokeswoman Gaynor Kast said RBM was committed to working in line with its values and code of conduct in its dealings with all stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, partners and the surrounding communities.

“I can confirm that five employees have been temporarily suspended, pending further investigations into compliance with our code of conduct.

“The investigation remains ongoing and will continue until all lines of inquiry are completed.

“It is important that we respect the process, and do not make any judgments until all of the investigations have been concluded,” Kast said.

She added that should any breaches be found to have occurred they would be treated seriously and addressed in a transparent, consistent and respectful way. Kast said there was no link between the recent community unrest and killing of the two youths.

“This is a tragedy for everyone at RBM and in our community, she said. “RBM is co-operating fully with the SA Police Service to support its investigation into this matter. The safety and security of all our employees remains a priority.”

Investigation The Chamber of Mines called yesterday for an urgent investigation into the socio-economic circumstances that resulted in the killings.

The chamber, which represents 80 percent of the mining industry, said while it had no first-hand knowledge of what the motive might have been, it had been reported that there has been ongoing conflict over job appointment processes in the KwaZulu-Natal town where RBM is a significant employer.

“We understand that several other company executives have been threatened and intimidated. There is a need to develop an understanding of the socio-economic dynamics behind these crimes, if indeed they are related,” the chamber said yesterday.