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Johannesburg - Production at Kumba Iron Ore [JSE:KIO] Sishen mine, in the Northern Cape, has increased since an illegal strike halted operations, the company said on Monday.
"Sishen's normal shift roster was restored towards the end of last week. Employees reported for a two-day safety induction and certain mining activities resumed on Saturday," spokesperson Gert Schoeman said in a statement.
"However, employee attendance rates in the mining production area are, on average, still lower than 50%, which is less than what is required for the full operation of the mine."
Police arrested a group of striking workers at the mine on Tuesday.
Schoeman said police were maintaining "a strong presence" around the mine as workers were being intimidated.
He said on Tuesday that the company had regained possession of all the heavy mining equipment seized by the illegal strikers.
Schoeman said most of the illegal strikers ignored an ultimatum to leave the mine and report for disciplinary hearings last Monday. About 120 strikers were dismissed after they failed to attend the hearings.
The strike began on October 3 when about 300 miners on the night-shift stopped working and seized a fleet of heavy mining equipment worth R3.3bn to block an entrance to a mine pit.
The workers wanted a monthly salary increase of R15 000 for all Kumba employees, over and above what they already earned.
Production at the mine was suspended on October 4 and the company was losing about 120 000 tons a day in production, Schoeman said at the time.
