Mineworker Dumisa Ngalonkulu arrived for work at Gold One’s Modder East mine in Springs last Sunday with his packed lunch — a kota, a drink and an apple.
It was enough to last him the day shift. Instead, he found himself trapped underground for almost three days, inadvertently embroiled in a sit-in sparked by a labour grievance.
Ngalonkulu, 41, is a subcontractor not directly employed by the mine. He is not a member of any union and had no interest in the union membership squabbles that led to the protest action.
“I didn’t know there would be a strike. When I was getting ready for the shift, wearing my PPE, I was told there was a protest, but I didn’t take it seriously. When we got underground we were told we are on strike,” Ngalonkulu told the Sunday Times.
The protest by the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (Amcu) was triggered by a R700 deduction by the mining company for health insurance, which the union said it had not agreed to.
Gold One said the deductions had been agreed by Amcu’s long-standing rival, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), prompting Amcu to hold the sit-in to protest against management’s refusal to recognise it as the majority union at the mine.
The NUM said many of the 500 miners underground, who included women, were not Amcu members and were being held hostage in the shafts, a charge that Amcu denied.
Ngalonkulu said the majority of those in the mine appeared to sympathise with Amcu.
“On Sunday night the protest leaders made a call to the management and informed them they were on strike and they must come and address us,” he said.
“On Monday we had no communication from management but the workers were still hopeful. About eight boxes of bread and lightly diluted juice arrived but didn’t even cover half of the workers. Even if we were to have one slice of bread each, it wouldn’t have covered everyone.”
The sun set with no feedback. The workers were now getting hungry, anxious and fatigued. They waited until midnight to get food
— Dumisa Ngalonkulu
Ngalonkulu said those underground heard on Tuesday that a representative of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration had arrived to meet managers and union leaders.
“The sun set with no feedback. The workers were now getting hungry, anxious and fatigued. They waited until midnight to get food. At some point they got a call from other workers that they should meet them at an informal route underground to get the food.
“But those who went to meet them were gone for three hours and came back with nothing. If the food had come, I believe the workers would still be underground.”
Ngalonkulu said the protesters sang for hours, chanted, slept, held caucuses and waited.
“We just sat and slept on the inflatable sacks. For a mineworker it wasn’t scary, we are used to the place. The waiting area [of the mine] is safe.
“The women were the first to complain about hunger and the conditions underground. They wanted to bathe and brush their teeth. On Wednesday they made a request that they go out.”
He said the workers were eager to engage with Gold One but management was not interested.
“The managers came on Wednesday morning and stood behind a gate, far from us. They didn’t feel safe. So the workers put up a danger tape and said they would not come close, but they didn’t budge,” he said.
Ngalonkulu said there were white miners among them who felt they were being held hostage.
“Those guys would ask every hour what the update was. They were unhappy and didn’t want to be a part of it.
“I wasn’t there of my free will, I had no choice. But the way they explained their struggles, we ended up understanding and most of us were sympathetic. I hope they succeed. The majority of the workers want the [Amcu] union, it’s clear to see.”
Company spokesperson Jon Hericourt said the medical aid deduction had been agreed to with the NUM.
“They wanted to bring in a medical aid provider. We went through a process where we would find suitable medical schemes and ultimately the NUM chose the scheme. They said their members had bought into it.”
He said there would be repercussions for those who joined the strike, but could not give details. Amcu has been interdicted against detaining workers underground and picketing on the premises.
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