Illegal Implats strike comes to a peaceful close
An illegal work stoppage at the North shaft of Impala Bafokeng’s Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine (BRPM), in the North West province, has ended without incident, parent company Impala Platinum (Implats) has told Mining Weekly.
In the main, the illegal strike action, which began on June 27, involved members of the contractor workforce demanding permanent positions, the company explained. However, Implats was concerned that the strike action would harm jobs more than help them.
The demands took place amid a difficult operating environment for platinum group metal (PGM) producers, given depressed PGM prices. Impala Bafokeng, along with Implats’ other South African operations, is currently undergoing a Section 189 consultation process, in terms of the Labour Relations Act, which may lead to staff reductions.
“The longer-term impact of this illegal strike poses a risk to sustainable employment, particularly given Impala Bafokeng’s recent underperformance,” Implats warned in a statement on July 2, shortly before the strike action ended.
The BRPM operation recorded weak production and a significant cash outflow during the first half of the 2024 financial year.
Although Implats proactively increased security around the mine to protect employees against any acts of intimidation or violence from those on strike, a spokeperson told Mining Weekly that no such incidents occurred and that the strike ended peacefully on July 3 following fruitful negotiations.
“Business sustainability is imperative to preserve livelihoods as far as possible. Any work stoppages in the current metals price environment will, however, impact the group’s efforts to preserve jobs,” the company said.
Comments
Research Reports
Latest Multimedia
Showroom
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
