13 January 2024

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) will continue to raise the needs of workers, their families and the community at Lily Mine.  It has been several years since the tragedy claimed the lives of three workers at Lily Mine and the closure sent hundreds of workers home without jobs.  This has plunged their families and their communities into absolute poverty.

The leadership of the Federation met with workers and the community at Lily Mine this week as part of our efforts to keep their demands on the table and to compel government and the mine owners to address them.

COSATU has been mandated by workers to continue to raise their grievances with government and the mine owners and to find solutions to address their painful predicaments.

Workers and the Federation are aggrieved that this long standing matter has been allowed to fester at the expense of workers and their families.  We will continue to support workers to ensure that the families who lost loved ones as well as those workers who lost their jobs are justly compensated.

It is critical that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy move to ensure that Lily Mine is reopened to ensure workers can once again earn a salary and that communities can be saved from deep poverty.  The families of the workers who tragically lost their lives need to be helped to find closure and afforded the dignity they deserve.

Issued by COSATU

For further information please contact:
Matthew Parks
Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator
Cell: 082 785 0687