Johannesburg - Sibanye Resources’ decision to sue government officials for an allegedly unwarranted safety shutdown at its Kroondal platinum mine last year is sparking a new feud in a sector infamous for straining business-government relations.
The damage claim is for R26 million and has provoked Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane into this week issuing a combative statement claiming that not only Sibanye, but also AngloGold Ashanti, are “suggesting that they are refusing to comply with the mining laws of the country”.
The swipe at AngloGold follows an important court ruling in November last year that cemented the principle of proportionality when the department of mineral resources (DMR) orders safety shutdowns.
