Media statement: Implats demonstrate acting in bad faith, says Minister Mantashe.
Today's announcement by Implats that it will retrench thirteen thousand workers is a clear example of a company that is careless, and mindlessly committed to implement its pre-determined outcome; no matter how unworkable that might be. Their reckless actions add injury to insult.
The Department of Mineral Resources was still at the beginning of an engagement with Implats, wherein we encouraged them to consider different options of saving jobs and keeping their operations working.
In this regard, we proposed - to which Implats management agreed, that they should engage on the basis of a Section 52 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). The team intended to undertake this process with the company is yet to be announced, and Implats has run off to announce retrenchments.
We have consistently maintained that only an industry that does not regard workers as a valuable asset behaves in this manner. This is worst disconcerting considering the high unemployment rate in the country, as reflected in the latest StatsSA survey. Further, Implats' actions are a display of arrogance, hence they can go against the grain at the time when, even the President of the Republic is calling on all of us to put shoulder to the wheel in turning around our country's economic fortunes.
The Ministry, once more, urges Implats to reconsider its actions and return to the process we all agreed upon. Now is the time to work collectively and make our country prosper, and desist from behavior that is careless and without foresight.
Enquiries:
Nathi David Shabangu
Cell: 073 852 1922
Media Liaison Officer:
Ayanda Shezi
Cell: 082 308 1586
