The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in the Highveld Region is aware that the court case between Richards Bay Coal Terminal and Optimum Business Rescue Practitioners is taking place on the 24th March 2023 in Durban.

The court case came after the greedy and rapacious RBCT decided to willy-nilly terminate the Terminal allocated to Optimum Colliery.

The NUM is clear and unequivocal that the termination was informed by greediness and rapaciousness, the shareholders of RBCT which are Thungela,Seriti,Exxaro and Glencore decided to maximize profit, while the marginalized and downtrodden workers at Optimum continue to suffer and are subjected to abject poverty by these conglomerates. 

The NUM is viewing the decision as reckless,premature and impetuous, we are hopeful as the NUM that the Court will arrive at a conclusion/judgment that takes the well-being of our members into consideration. We are saying this because the termination by RBCT has worsened the living conditions of our members at this Mine.

What makes the matters worse is the reallocation of the Terminal by these rapacious capitalists, in their vocabulary, maximization of profit supersede any human and logical realization, in that as long as they continue to import coal they don’t care who is suffering. 

The NUM is also perturbed and flummoxed by the perpetual and misguided interest shown by the NPA, we have serious cases of murder,rape and robbery that NPA must focus on and make sure that the perpetrators are convicted. But the NPA is busy obsessed with OPTIMUM Mine, the NUM is calling on the NPA not be used by politicians and interested parties who are hellbent in making sure that the Mine is Liquidated and sold to their friends and families. 

The NUM in the Highveld Region want to see Optimum employees going back to work so that they can be able to support and provide for their families.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Malekutu Bizzah Motubatse, NUM Highveld Regional Chairperson, 082 264 6533

Thapelo Malekutu, NUM Highveld Regional Deputy Regional Secretary 063 601 9005

The National Union of Mineworkers

7 Rissik Street.

Cnr Frederick

Johannesburg

Tel: 011 377 2111

Cell: 083 809 3257