The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will embark on a protest action this morning in Polokwane to hand over a memorandum of demands to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Office of the Premier and Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) to force the government to reopen the Dilokong Chrome Mine. Dilokong Chrome Mine has been put under Business Rescue since 2016. The protest march will start at 11 am.
“We want the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to issue the licence to Cheetah the company that has been successful through following the bidding process,” said Phillip Mankge, NUM North East Regional Secretary.
“Dilokong Chrome Mine had employed 1 200 plus local, national and international employees which was contributing to the local, provincial and national economic interest of South Africans. In 2016 the Mine was put under Business Rescue which was a successful rescue. The bidding processes were finalised successfully in 2017 and Cheetah was the successful company yo win the bid,” Mankge added.
With effect from the time the mine was put under business rescue, the community and ex-employees have been affected financially, physically and economically to date.
“As the NUM, we want to remind the Premier of Limpopo and Chairperson of the ANC comrade Stan Mathabatha that the NUM through COSATU campaigned and supported the ANC to win the national elections and one of the key promises made was job creation. We expect the ANC in Limpopo to deliver this important promise to the workers and communities in the province,” Mankge said.
We, therefore, demand the following:
1. Instruct and communicate with Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy to speed up the process of section 11 in order for us to get employment as promised by the ANC in the campaigns of elections
2. Instruct LEDA to withdraw all litigation level against Dilokong Chrome Mine.
3. Instruct LEDA to withdraw its “Objection” level against the application of section 11 at DMR
We, therefore, view all the above as a way of taking the rights of our members of getting employment
For more information, please contact:
Phillip Mankge: NUM North East Regional Secretary: 076 053 3401
Livhuwani Mammburu: NUM National Spokesperson: 083 809 3257