The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) calls for an immediate resumption of rescue mission to recover workers that are trapped underground at Lily Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga. The NUM also support the pickets by workers who have not been paid for their April salaries.

We cannot stand and idle or fold our hands pretending as if it is business as usual at that mine. Things are not good and our call to the Lily Mine management is that the rescue mission has to commence as soon as possible.

“We have three workers down there trapped in the belly of the earth. Those poor workers need to be brought to surface so that their families could find a closure and move on with their lives. The thoughts of having them deep down there are disturbing and highly unbearable”, says NUM Deputy President Joseph Montisetse.

The NUM also fully support those brave workers who are currently protesting demanding that their salaries be paid in full.

“Why is the management bribing them by offering them R650. Is not that an insult to them and their families? These workers went through a lot and surely they do not deserve any other stress or pain”, says Montisetse.

The NUM will fight tooth and nail to make sure that those trapped workers are rescued dead or alive so that their families can find closure.

Issued by NUM