The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has expressed profound shock over the impending job cuts affecting more than 3,000 employees at Glencore and Samancor mines. This distressing news comes in the wake of Glencore’s announcement that it has initiated a Section 189 retrenchment process under the Labour Relations Act, set to take effect from 1 September 2025.
The proposed cuts will impact several significant sites, including the Boshoek and Wonderkop Smelters located in Rustenburg, the Rhovan Vanadium facility near Bethanie, and the Carbon Division in Emalahleni. The far-reaching implications of these cuts cannot be understated, as NUM chief negotiator Lefty Mashego highlighted the devastating effect this will have—not just on the employees directly involved, but also on their families and the broader economy.
“It goes beyond saying that we are shattered. We are really shocked that the company finally activated their contemplation to this effect. We are sitting at the highest peak of unemployment in South Africa. We’re talking about 3,000 of its sections affected; as a result, we are talking above 3,000 employees to be impacted by this decision,” Mashego stated. He further illustrated the stark reality of the situation, noting that the number of affected families is significantly higher, thereby amplifying the social repercussions.
Mashego’s remarks shed light on the Union’s sentiments towards Glencore’s decisions, emphasising that such actions are not only premature but also disingenuous given the current employment crisis in South Africa. With an unemployment rate already soaring, the sheer scale of the cuts proposed by Glencore has unsettled both the NUM and those whose livelihoods hang in the balance.
In response to the distressing development, NUM has issued a clarion call for Glencore and Samancor to engage in constructive negotiations aimed at safeguarding jobs and minimising the adverse impact on workers and their families. The Union is urging for dialogues that focus on solutions to protect employment rather than hastily enacting retrenchments.
As the situation unfolds, communities and workers affected by these proposed cuts will be left in a state of uncertainty.