Kumba employees on the march

THABAZIMBI – Members of the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) were marching on Wednesday 23 April, handing over a petition to Kumba Iron Ore’s general manager, Aart van den Brink, regarding complaints.
The complaints involved two incidents which were experienced as discrimination.
In one case union members claimed that one of their members had been dismissed for theft where as another employee, for a similar transgression, was not. The appointment of an employee in an administrative post, was also questioned, implying that the proper procedures weren’t followed.
The head of public affairs at Kumba Head Office, Tebello Chabana, responded by saying that the complaints are serious and will be looked into. Especially the first complaint will be fully investigated. He said that procedures for appointing employees are strictly adhered to and that the appointment of this specific employee was no exception.
* After an internal audit about three weeks ago, operations in certain sections of Kumba Iron Ore were stopped for a 24 hour period, following uncertainty about safety standards. Kumba Head Office, said that it was an internal affair which will be commented on at a later stage.