The management of the Two Rivers mine in Mpumalanga is expected to meet with representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers on Monday evening in an attempt to end the underground sit-in at the mine, a spokesman said.

Mike Schmidt, spokesman for African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), who owns the mine in partnership with Impala Platinum, said the management would go underground to speak to the workers right after the meeting with the NUM representatives.

"We are completely committed to resolve the issue," said Schmidt.

While NUM branch secretary Doctor Matheso said the whole mine was affected by the sit-in, Schmidt said only the one shaft was affected.

"The rest of the mine is going on as normal," he said.

Matheso said the union was waiting for the ARM management to meet them.

"They are still in caucus," he said.

The underground protest at Two Rivers mine in Mpumalanga began on Sunday evening, with a number of miners joining their colleagues later.

"Now a total of 240 miners are underground," NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told Sapa.

Initially around 100 workers refused to come out of the mine when their night shift ended at 6am on Monday.

"They toyi-toyied throughout the night demanding that a manager at the mine be fired. They are very angry ... they say now they'll come out from underground on Saturday when the manager is fired. We have sent our branch leadership to talk to those workers."

According to Seshoka, the protest was illegal.

"We are worried as those workers who have gone to join the protest underground were not wearing safety gear."

According to an earlier statement from NUM, the manager allegedly dismissed four workers after a rock fell on a miner's foot.

"We call on Two Rivers management to make a serious intervention and ensure that the manager concerned is dismissed as a matter of urgency," said Matheso.

Two Rivers platinum mine is situated on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex, near the town of Lydenburg.

Schmidt said: "Some workers are not satisfied with a disciplinary hearing that took place on Friday. There were some dismissals, but also a right to appeal was given and the appeal was due to be held today [Monday]."

Some workers, however, had decided to embark on an illegal strike.

"Due process has not been complied with and the strike is illegal," Schmidt said.

While Matheso said the management refused to take food underground, Schmidt said management took food parcels to the miners.

"We will not withhold on that," he said. "We also encouraged medical personnel to go underground to make sure all the workers are well cared for," he said.

Matheso said the union arranged for food to be taken underground.

Schmidt said he expected the meeting with the NUM management to take about an hour, while he would spend another hour to address the workers underground.

Sapa

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