The application was filed after a mudslide in which five mine workers died. Metalworkers’ union Numsa welcomed the postponement of the provisional winding up of the Ekapa Minerals Mine.

The union said it will do everything possible to save jobs at Kimberley’s last diamond mine as liquidation approaches. The mine was put under provisional liquidation until Friday (17/4) to allow legal proceedings to continue in the high court.

The mine applied to close and stopped operations with immediate effect in February, leaving more than a thousand workers without work or pay.

“The union is satisfied with the court’s decision to extend the provisional liquidation rather than grant a final order,” said Kimberley Numsa organiser Lerato Mohatlane.

“The UIF issue is that the comrades started filing in this month, actually. So after they filed in with the department of labour, they will have to wait for the SMSs where they will be signing their first application.

“We did communicate with Momentum regarding their pension funds, and we have received a positive response from Momentum. We are going to have a meeting with them, where workers will be able to ask questions, and then the greater part of the story is that workers are now going to access their 50% of those funds,” he said.

The bodies of all five mine workers were recovered from the mine on Sunday, 23 March. The men were trapped 890m underground since a mud rush incident on Tuesday, 17 February.

Minister of mineral resources and energy, Gwede Mantashe, called for a full investigation into the tragedy. Meanwhile, Northern Cape police spokesperson Cherelle Ehlers said Kimberley detectives are investigating an inquest after the remaining bodies of males were recovered.

The Ekapa Relief Fund raised more than half a million rand in support of 750 families affected by the mine’s liquidation in February. The money was raised through a fundraising concert, which was held on Saturday (11/4) at The Fire in Kimberley.

“This initiative showed the true power of community, where people came together selflessly to support one another during a very difficult time,” said Ekapa Relief Fund founder Mari Myrtle Venter.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg

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