THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called on the management of Impala Platinum's Bafokeng Rasimone Mine not to be hostile towards mineworkers.
The union said it's negotiating with management to prevent the sacking of more than 2 000 miners who held an underground sit-down strike.
The workers returned to the surface on Wednesday, 20 December, ending a three-day shutdown.
The 2 205 workers had started an underground sit-in on Monday, 18 December to demand the immediate payment of pension funds following the recent change of ownership of the mine.
NUM deputy general secretary Mpho Phakedi said the company was adamant that all workers who started an underground sit-down strike would be dismissed.
"The NUM does not support underground sit-ins and hostage-taking as staying underground for a long time is not conducive," he said.
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Phakedi said NUM urged its members to refrain from underground sit-ins and use other legal and appropriate channels to voice their concerns.
"We also call on our members not to be misled by hooligans and criminals from breakaway unions to organise underground sit-ins and hostage-taking.
"These hooligans and criminals from rogue unions have attacked, abducted, tortured, humiliated, injured and discriminated against innocent workers as we have seen recently at the Gold One Mine in Springs," he said.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) shares NUM's view on the dismissal of the miners.
The union said it was deeply concerned about the tensions and reports of violence and hostage-taking emanating from the mine this week.
"It's critical that no further action is taken by either side while the leadership of NUM and Cosatu continue to work with management to resolve the issues at hand.
"This includes assurances that the jobs of more than 2 205 workers will be protected, that no worker will have to fear for their safety in the mine and particularly underground, and that workers’ concerns will be addressed,” said Cosatu spokesman Matthew Parks.
