170 retrenched at Paarl Print

Johannesburg - More than 170 employees of Paarl Print, whose factory burnt down in a fire that killed 13 workers, have been retrenched, Beeld newspaper reported on Thursday.

Paarl Web spokesperson Nelia Burger said the retrenchments were part of a restructuring process that saw 194 people moved into the new structures.

"But unfortunately 172 positions were rationalised in this process," Burger told the newspaper.

In April this year, a fire at the Paarl Print factory, owned by Naspers subsidiary Paarl Media, killed 13 workers.

It later emerged that the fire was probably caused by a paper dust explosion.

- Sapa