H
KEY POINTS
- Wesizwe reached a restructuring agreement with AMCU, but NUM did not sign it.
- Bakubung’s three-week operational shutdown preceded consultations over proposed job cuts.
- Final employee impacts and phased restart dates will be announced after administrative processes are completed.
Wesizwe Platinum has concluded its restructuring consultation process at the Bakubung platinum mine in South Africa’s North West province, reaching an agreement with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, AMCU, and affected employees outside the bargaining unit, but failing to secure the support of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
The JSE-listed platinum producer said the consultation and facilitation process conducted under Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act formally ended on August 31.
The process was facilitated under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and followed the temporary suspension of operations at Bakubung as the company assessed its workforce requirements and proposed restructuring measures.
Wesizwe had previously announced plans to restructure its operations as part of a revised development strategy for the mine, raising concerns over potential job losses and prompting consultations with employees and organised labour.
Agreement Reached With AMCU
The restructuring discussions resulted in a settlement agreement between Wesizwe, AMCU and representatives of affected employees who fall outside the bargaining unit.
The agreement follows weeks of engagement aimed at finding alternatives to retrenchments and reducing the potential impact of the restructuring on workers.
However, Wesizwe said the NUM did not sign the restructuring settlement agreement, meaning the company was unable to reach a consensus with all recognised unions involved in the consultation process.
The lack of agreement with NUM leaves an important labour dimension unresolved as the company moves towards implementing the outcomes of the restructuring.
Operations at Bakubung were suspended for three weeks from June 3 to allow Wesizwe to conduct consultations with employees and labour representatives.
In July, the company announced that it intended to restart the mine in phases, subject to the conclusion of an agreement with recognised unions and employee representatives.
The phased restart is expected to be linked to the completion of the restructuring process and the company’s assessment of the workforce required to support future operations.
