Both a hostage situation as well as a sit-in: Gold One Management

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Gold One Mine management says it will continue to provide food and water to the miners who have been underground since Thursday night.

So far, three miners have managed to escape. Over 400 mineworkers did not resurface from underground on Friday morning from their night shift, at Gold One’s operation in Springs, on Gauteng’s East Rand.

The mine’s Head of Legal, Ziyaad Hassam says it’s both a hostage situation and a sit-in as some are in this willingly in solidarity with the 50 workers who were laid off for their involvement in the October sit-in.

“I would say it’s both a hostage situation as well as a sit-in. Clearly, there are a number of people who had planned to stage a sit-in. But there is a large number of people who are being kept underground against their will. That includes miners, middle managers and contractors.”

Meanwhile, Gold One Mine has described the death of one of the investigating officers as a tragic loss of life. The 55-year-old man was fatally shot close to the Gold One Modder East Operations in Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand on Tuesday.

It is understood the man was investigating the instigators behind the October underground sit-in, ahead of disciplinary hearings.

Gold One Mine management gives an update on underground sit-in: