A convertor furnace at Impala Platinum’s mineral processes.

Johannesburg, South Africa --- MININGREVIEW.COM --- 31 January 2012 - Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) has revealed that the majority of the mining workforce at its Impala Rustenburg operations once again failed to report for duty yesterday.

This comes in the wake of a stay-away by the operation’s rock drill operators (RDO’s), who participated in an illegal work stoppage last week.

An Implats statement released here said the failure of the workforce to report for work yesterday morning was due to an alternative union, known as the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which had, despite no formal process in place, attempted to gain recognition at the Rustenburg operation.

It added that the company had applied for and been granted a further court interdict yesterday declaring the strike illegal and which:

• Interdicts and restrains employees from continuing with unlawful industrial action at the Rustenburg operation;
• Interdicts and restrains dismissed rock drill operators from intimidating employees who are not on strike.

The Implats statement stated that the mining workforce would be given a deadline of 1 February 2012 to return to work or face dismissal. “The company urges all employees to report for duty by the deadline,” it added.

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