(Recasts with lost ouput, minister comments)
By Sherilee Lakmidas
JOHANNESBURG Feb 20 (Reuters) – Impala Platinum
, the world’s second largest platinum producer, said on
Monday that a violent labour dispute at its flagship Rustenburg
operations has cost it 80,000 ounces in lost production to date.
The stoppage, now in its fifth week, is costing 20,000
ounces a week but the company said its capital projects remained
“largely unaffected” by the unfolding drama around the mine,
where violence has claimed the lives of two miners.
The Rustenburg operations lie 120 km (80 miles) northwest of
Johannesburg and are the world’s largest platinum producing
mines, accounting for some 15 percent of global supply.
Operations were brought to halt after over 17,000 striking
rock drill operators and other mineworkers were dimissed and the
rehiring process failed to secure enough mineworkers to restart
the shafts.
Around 7,800 workers, including over 900 rock drill
operators, have since been re-hired but the operation needs at
least 2,000 rock drill operators to restart production.
Implats management said in a statement the majority of
employees want to return to work, but “unprecedented levels of
intimidation and violence” were preventing them from doing so.
South Africa’s mines minister Susan Shabangu said the police
needed to stamp out the intimidation, in her first public
comments on the issue.
Continued…
