Workers want the company to recognise the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), have dismissed workers reinstated, and an official accused of sexual harassment to be suspended. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the boxes of food which were meant for striking Lanxess workers have been sitting in a truck due to security refusing it entry.

"At least 12 of them have fainted and have had to be treated either on-site or at a hospital. Part of the problem is that the management of Lanxess Mine steadfastly refuses to allow Numsa to bring food to the premises to allow for food to be taken down to our members underground."

Hlubi-Majola says the Department of Mineral Resources on Sunday directed the mine to allow the food onto the premises. Since Tuesday the management allegedly again denied food meant for the mineworkers.

Numsa has since raised its concern with the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and called for its urgent intervention while at the same time says it is worried about the presence of heavily armed security guards inside the premises of the mine, seen interacting with striking workers in a video. Hlubi-Majola says from the footage it is clear that the security guards have big rifles, and they are interacting with unarmed workers who are participating in a peaceful sit-in underground.

Hlubi-Majola adds that this is very worrying because it suggests that the management of the company may have sent heavily armed private security guards underground to forcibly remove workers who are engaged in a sit-in. In the video, one miner is on his knees, pleading with the armed security guards to shoot and kill him. “We condemn the backward management of Lanxess mines for their brutality. It is clear they do not want a peaceful end to this strike and our members requested to engage with a Numsa official. Lanxess should allow this to happen so we can negotiate a peaceful end to this impasse,” Hlubi-Majola says.

Hlubi-Majola says the demands are as follows: The necessary measures must be taken to get to the bottom of the allegations of the sexual harassment case. Secondly, they demand that all fellow employees who have been dismissed on a continuous basis through the trumped-up charges and the abuse of power by management should be reinstated with immediate effect.

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