Calm has returned at Impala Bafokeng Platinum mine in Rustenburg after the mine obtained a court interdict to stop workers from continuing with their protest.
Last week, employees embarked on a strike demanding shares from the mine and calling for permanent appointments.
Disgruntled workers voiced their discontent against the employer and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
One worker says, ”I want shares that were stolen by the NUM, so we took a decision to start a committee because of the shares that were stolen.”
Another worker adds: “We want to be employed permanently by the mine, and we no longer want to be represented by NUM.”
Meanwhile, Bashiga ba Phafane Traditional Council’s Kgosi Masubela Mabjaia says they had to intervene following the violence associated with the strike.
”Around 1 a.m., in the middle of the night, we heard the sounds of guns and helicopters. We even saw the mine security, that’s when we decided to intervene.”
