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.