Johannesburg - Trade union Solidarity has expressed concern
over more job losses in the platinum mining sector following the closure of the
Everest mine, near Lydenburg, in Mpumalanga.
"The closure of this mine was announced barely a week
after Aquarius Platinum [JSE:AQP] had closed its Marikana shaft in
Kroondal," union spokesperson Louis Pretorius said on Thursday.
Everest's closure was not permanent, and was due to
operational issues and the low platinum price. If the platinum price rose, the
mine would again become financially viable.
Pretorius called on Emgodini, Everest mine's operator, to
introduce a social plan to stop 1 500 people from losing their jobs and help
workers to apply for other jobs in the mining sector.
The trade union welcomed Mineral Resources Minister Susan
Shabangu's announcement that a task team would be established to try and save
jobs in the platinum industry. This process should be carried out quickly and
transparently, Pretorius said.