http://www.iol.co.za/business/business-news/aurora-workers-vow-not-to-vote-1.1051437
Aurora workers vow not to vote
April 4 2011 at 07:23am
Independent Newspapers
Employees of Aurora Empowerment Systems who have not been paid for months are threatening not to vote in the coming elections in protest at their dire circumstances.
On Friday the workers called on Cosatu to find work for them at neighbouring mines after losing hope that investors would ever fund the embattled company.
The politically connected gold producer Aurora, owned by Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zondwa Mandela, President Jacob Zuma’s nephew Khulubuse Zuma, and President Zuma’s former legal adviser Michael Hulley, has failed to pay the salaries of workers at Orkney and Grootvlei mines.
Following a compliance order issued by the Department of Labour, Aurora last December paid an initial amount of R2.5 million to the department for the workers.
Solidarity is pursuing legal action to get Aurora to pay R4.6m to 100 employees. Aurora was the preferred bidder for liquidated Pamodzi’s Orkney and Grootvlei mines in 2009.
On Friday, the North West provincial secretary of Cosatu, Solly Phetoe, blamed management and liquidators for stripping Pamodzi of its assets.
“No one has the right to sell the rights of the company. Aurora has continuously taken out assets at the mines even though a liquidation application is under way.”
Phetoe argued that the assets of the mines belonged to Pamodzi and that Aurora had no right to strip mines and sell them as scrap metal.
“They (Aurora) will never get money because they are now stripping the assets, they do not have experience to run a mine.” Phetoe said political interference was evident and he called on the government to intervene.
“We have asked the workers if they want to give us permission to get them jobs in neighbouring mines. These people have skills in mining. How long are they going to rely on food parcels?” he asked.
Life has been tough for the workers, who have accusing management of exploitation. They said it was therefore not worthwhile to vote in next month’s municipal elections.
Former supervisor at Orkney Caiphus Zulu said he was struggling. He lives with his family at the Gwede family unit at the Orkney mine.
“I am struggling, my children are getting social grants. I can’t afford to pay learner transport anymore. We are not happy about the liquidation process, it has been almost two years now. Pamodzi was liquidated in 2009, it is now 2011,” he said.
Former team leader at Orkney Mava Mguga said the government was quiet.
“Even comrade Zuma is quiet. Our people say they are not going to vote because the government has not intervened while Aurora exploits us.”
Pamodzi liquidator Enver Motala has denied the claims of the stripping of assets at the mines. “We are not aware of stripping of mines. It is irregular, and we would never allow it. Those are our assets and they need to be protected.”
Thulani Ngubane denied claims that the company was stripping the mine.
He said the workers are retaliating against the company after eight shop stewards were arrested. “They (employees) are retaliating against the company because they were arrested for vandalism.
“There is no stripping of Aurora, in mining there is a process of reclamation which is currently under way at our Orkney plant. They are doing this because Aurora is a black-owned company. They would never do this if it was Anglo American.”
Trade union Solidarity is in the process of applying for the liquidation of Aurora.
After numerous negotiations failed to get the company to agree to pay outstanding salaries, it sees liquidation as a last resort to get something for workers. – Dineo Matomela