MANAGEMENT AFRAID OF ARMED WORKERS

MBABANE – The ongoing strike at Maloma Colliery Limited (MCL) took a unique turn when striking employees, who were armed with an assortment of weapons, spent the night in the open at the mine’s dump site.

On Monday, employees of MCL, who are affiliated to the Mining, Quarrying and Allied Workers Union of Swaziland (MQAWUS), engaged in a strike action. They are demanding E800 housing allowance, complaining that rental fees are too high. The company offered E456. 88, which they rejected.

Negotiations between the mine and MQAWUS have not been concluded and it appears that there is no resolution in sight.
Instead of confining themselves to the area designated for the picketing, following an agreement by consent between MCL and MQAWUS legal representatives last Friday, the striking workers now allegedly roam around the mine premises threatening other employees.
The designated area is the space between the first and second gates situated 80 metres between the change house and the main road leading to the mine.

MCL alleged that the striking workers, since Monday, had persistently refused to remain in the designated area. Instead, they are alleged to have moved up to a small hill in the dump site within the premises of the mine where they continued with the strike.
They are said to have taken a decision on Tuesday that they would not return home but stage a vigil at the mine premises. The workers were carrying an assortment of weapons, which they allegedly used to intimidate non-striking employees.

The mine dump site consists mainly of rubble that is highly flammable. On the same day, the striking workers allegedly assaulted essential employees and the situation almost got out of hand.

In a supplementary affidavit that was filed by the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Chris Mlotsa, he stated that he was concerned that the weapons, which included, among others, clubs and knobkerries, would be used to assault management and employees. Mlotsa described the new developments in the mine as serious threats of anarchy, which require urgent intervention.

“They resolved that they would not go home but would remain at the mine premises for the entire night. They carried out their threat and stayed awake in the open for the entire night. This posed a new threat, in that due to inadequate lighting at the hill, the police and mine security personnel were unable to monitor the movements of the employees during the night,” said Mlotsa.
A group of employees is alleged to have left the other striking workers at the dump site at night and were confronted by security at a sensitive area of the mine.

“According to information gathered from the group, it appears that they were on their way to either sabotage the mine or to actually burn it. The little hill where the employees are now picketing is potentially very dangerous in that the dump area, which is restricted because of the potential of it being ignited, since it is highly inflammable. Furthermore, if the dump were to be disturbed, it would cause a serious environmental catastrophe,” said Mlotsa.
MCL filed an urgent application in court to restrain the employees in order to bring the situation under control. 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: