Amcu slams Sibanye for ‘boasting about profits’

THE Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) yesterday accused gold mine Sibanye-Stillwater of “bragging about its profits” amid a workers’ strike for higher wages, and accused chief executive Neal Froneman of exploitation and cutting corners on safety.

Amcu members at Sibanye downed tools last November demanding a R1000 annual wage increase for the next three years, and have clashed with colleagues from rival National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) which, along with other unions, signed a deal with Sibanye and whose members are at work.

The mine has optimised production through the deployment of employees reporting for work to specific production areas and minimising overhead costs by shutting down services such as ventilation, refrigeration and others in areas which are not operational.

This has angered Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa, who said Sibanye was being disingenuous by pleading poverty when workers demanded higher wages but being equally quick to inform investors that it was not feeling the financial pinch of the strike.

Mathunjwa said Froneman had surrounded himself with ex-bosses of NUM – now prominent officials in government – by appointing them to his executive advisory board, and that they advised him daily on how to avoid paying workers fairly.

“Neal Froneman is cutting corners where he can – both on safety measures and on paying living wages to his employees. He has exploited workers to make maximum profit.”

Mathunjwa said they would escalate the stand-off to a secondary strike in the platinum sector if necessary. |

EPA-EFE African News Agency (ANA) WORKERS clean the area around statues of ANC leaders that have been erected along the M4 Ruth First highway in Durban, as part of the ANC’s election manifesto launch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the city. |