Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
13 December 2023 | 19:16 CAT

Workers at the Gold One mine in S. Africa spent 4 days underground in a labour dispute Luca SOLA

There was a collective sigh of relief at the Gold One Mine in Springs on Monday after more than 400 miners re-emerged amid tensions between unions and the mine owners to the surface after four days trapped underground. Twelve were injured and were taken to hospital with injuries including fractures and cuts.

The incident has been described by Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe as a hostage situation and no longer a sit-in after it was revealed that at least three miners were badly assaulted by unknown culprits underground.

Victor Ngwane, regional organiser of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said there was no voluntary sit-in being staged, but a hostage situation characterised by severe flogging of the workers underground, with racial bias.

“The latest information is that it has now escalated to a racial issue. There are white miners underground who are being humiliated,” he said.

“They are undressed, and they are being whipped from time to time. The perpetrators say if they beat up these white guys, management and government will listen to them,” he added.

Ngwane said over the weekend, a severely beaten up “white miner” emerged from the shaft.

“The white miner who was brutally beaten and came to surface, he was naked. He came to the surface naked. They beat him up and left him by the station, they called for the cage to come down and he was returned to the surface,” he said.

An investigation is expected to continue, with arrests to follow.

Listen to the full interview on the Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharasany.