The President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), Joseph Mathunjwa, has denied the existence of a hostage situation at Gold One Modder East Mine in Springs, Ekurhuleni.
Mathunjwa responded to questions, stating that the night shift workers refused to come back from underground due to frustrations with their membership applications to AMCU not being processed since March.
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Mathunjwa emphasized that the majority of employees, around 1,700 out of a total of 1,800, have completed membership forms to join AMCU. Therefore, he deemed it nonsensical to claim that anyone is being held hostage, as it is clear that AMCU is the outright majority.
The denial comes in response to claims made by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) that disgruntled AMCU members have been holding approximately 543 miners hostage underground since Sunday.
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Xolani Mkhabela, a NUM PWV regional office bearer, expressed concern for the safety of their members and stated that NUM representatives were preparing to go underground to try to get their members released.
Mkhabela also highlighted that AMCU is not a recognized union in this particular mine. The situation has raised concerns about the lack of a proper approach to the ongoing dispute and the potential danger faced by the trapped miners.
