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The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Kimberley Region calls for the Petra Diamonds Finsch Mine in LimeAcres to pay workers Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) that was claimed on their behalf.

The TERS benefit was introduced to help workers affected by the Covid-19 lockdown. It was introduced as the government’s wage protection scheme that could provide relief to workers who did not receive much-needed money during the first five months of the lockdown.

 "It is alleged that Petra Diamonds Finsch Mine claimed the TERS money on behalf of the company during the lockdown of 2020 and the TERS money was processed and paid into Petra Diamonds accounts. The company claimed the TERS money even though they continued to pay workers their full salaries. Petra Diamond failed to return the money to the Department of Labour as it could not pay the money to their employees. When workers visited the Department of Labour for different personal claims, they were told that their money is already paid to the employer Petra Diamond Finsch Mine, therefore, they should claim at their employer," said Mosepedi Sanane, NUM Kimberley Regional Secretary.

The company claims that they tried to return the money to the Department of Labour with no success. 

As the NUM, we believe there is deliberate fraud and corruption between the Department of Labour and Petra Diamond Finsch Mine. What is also worrying us is the fact that the company could not disclose the amount of money sitting in their accounts for more than 2 years.

NUM members are furious and angered by this. They feel that the money should be paid to workers. We are calling for the Department of Labour and Finsch Mine to resolve this issue and make sure that workers are paid what is due to them.

Issued by The National Union of Mineworkers