Cops end Limpopo mine sit-in

2010-01-21 18:13

Polokwane - An underground sit-in by mine workers at Bokoni Platinum mine in Burgersfort, Limpopo came to an end on Thursday after police intervention.

Over 100 workers staged a sit-in on Tuesday, demanding payment of their end-year bonuses and the sacking of a manager - whom they accused of being racist, said National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka.

"They agreed to come out after a large police contingent presented them with an interdict to force them out," he said.

Seshoka said there would be a consultative process between the union and management over workers' demands.

Workers have been refusing to come out of the shaft since Tuesday, even after a delegation, which included traditional leaders, was sent to plead with them.

Meanwhile, about 54 mine workers still remain underground at Two Rivers Mine in Mpumalanga on Thursday, defying management's appeals and a court order.

They have also been underground since Tuesday, staging a sit-in which was initially described by NUM as a hostage crisis.

Mining operations have since been suspended.

- SAPA