Trade union Solidarity on Tuesday urged Harmony Gold to halt the planned retrenchment of 2000 workers at its Evander mines.

Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans wants the company to assure unions that it would avoid retrenchments and find alternatives.

According to Harmony Gold, a Section 189 notice was issued to the unions affected which indicated its intention to close three shafts at the Evander mine.

Through spokeswoman Marian van der Walt, the mine said the shafts had "reached the end of the line" and were no longer profitable.

Van der Walt said the company would engage with the affected unions to find an alternative to the retrenchments.

These alternatives included filling vacant posts within the company, transfers and voluntary retrenchments.

Van der Walt said no decision had yet been taken. "It's still early days," she said.

Kleynhans added that the company "was aware of the expected lifespan of the mines in question and should have planned accordingly".

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