Police dispute hostage claims

2009-07-10 14:48

Johannesburg - North West police on Friday disputed claims by Congress of South African Trade Unions and the National Union of Mineworkers that there was no hostage situation at a mine in Brits.

"As the law enforcement officials, we are responsible for maintaining law and order. We are relating what is happening on the ground and as far as we are concerned there is a hostage drama," said Superintendent Lesego Metsi.

"We cannot comment on what the unions are saying. If somebody can prove otherwise, they must prove it."

Metsi was responding to claims by the two unions that there was no person being held hostage at the Crocodile River mine.

Representatives of both unions said they had visited the workers on Friday morning.

"No one is held against their will," said Cosatu provincial general secretary, Solly Phetoe.

NUM operational manager, Sithethi Mxhasi expressed the same sentiments, explaining that the hostage drama was a perception by management.

"It was a perception created by mine management. If supervisors were underground with the mine workers, it was a show of solidarity," he said. "We have encountered no hostage situation."

Police, however, said hundreds of temporary workers were holding eight supervisors hostage, one of whom escaped during the night.

Ian Rozier, the president of Eastern Platinum Limited (Eastplats) disputed this figure, claiming that only five people were being held hostage.

The group was demanding permanent employment at the mine.

The workers were on the third level, about 250m down and were without water.

Mxhasi claimed that management closed off the water at 21:00 on Thursday.

On Friday, mining contractors were trying to get a court interdict to stop the workers from participating in the illegal underground strike and hostage drama.

"The mining contractors are in the process of obtaining a court interdict which will require their employees to refrain from participating in illegal and unprotected strike action, release those who are being detained against their will, and vacate the underground working areas," said Rozier.

According to Mxhasi, the 561 contract workers received a memorandum in February stating that they would be permanently employed by the mine.

Meanwhile, a group of workers who have been outside the mine since Thursday said all the supervisors came up at 04:00 on Friday.

This could not be confirmed.

Rozier meanwhile slammed the workers' action as illegal and against their contractual agreements.

Eastplats said its primary concern was for the safety of all personnel underground.

Rozier said that despite efforts by negotiators, the mining contractors and the NUM, the workers had refused to leave the mine.

The company said it was taking steps to resolve the dispute.

Metsi said police hoped to resolve the situation by Friday afternoon, describing the atmosphere at the mine as "tense".

Mine authorities, the explosives unit and other specialised units were at the scene.

The hostage-takers were believed to be using mining equipment as weapons.

Metsi confirmed that no one had been injured.

- SAPA