Two workers at the Sibanye-Stillwater platinum mine in Marikana walk home after the day's shift.
Sibanye-Stillwater's Krondal platinum group metals mine has been hit by an underground sit-in by workers unhappy with their employee share option scheme.
Sibanye-Stillwater announced late on Tuesday that morning shift employees and contractors began an illegal underground sit-in at the Kwezi shaft at its Kroondal mine, near Rustenburg, on Monday morning.
As of Tuesday evening, 211 employees remained underground.
Work was also halted at another shaft at Kroondal, K6, during the night shift on Monday after 250 people gathered in a central waiting area above ground.
The protest took place after annual payments were made to Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOP) beneficiaries in Rustenburg and Marikana on Friday 1 June.
“The striking Kroondal employees are reportedly unhappy that they have not received their ESOP payments even though they are not yet entitled to them,” Sibanye said in a statement.
The 2023 Kroondal wage agreement between the company and union representatives from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Mine and Construction Workers Union (AMCU) provides for the commitment of an employee share option scheme for Kroondal employees once the acquisition of the Kroondal pool and share agreement by Sibanye Rustenburg Platinum Mine is completed, probably by the end of the year. The deal is expected to extend the mine's life until 2029 and create 2,500 ongoing jobs.
Sibanye said multiple consultations had taken place about the proposed scheme and “striking employees and their union representatives were fully informed of the future inclusion date into the Rustenburg ESOP”.
The precious metals mining company said in this case employees had failed to follow standard procedures for resolving grievances, adding that “the actions of these employees could put at risk their operations and the safety and health of employees who took part in the sit-in.”
Sibanye's Southern Africa regional chief executive, Richard Stewart, said the unchecked attack was disappointing.
“We appeal to all parties, including employees, to follow the established grievance redressal procedures and refrain from any illegal activities,” he said.
