Wrap Text
Confirms operational disruptions at Beatrix due to inter-union rivalry
Sibanye Gold Limited
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
Registration number 2002/031431/06
Share code: SGL
ISIN – ZAE000173951
Issuer code: SGL
(“Sibanye Gold”, “Sibanye” or “the Company”)
SIBANYE CONFIRMS OPERATIONAL DISRUPTIONS AT BEATRIX DUE TO INTER-
UNION RIVALRY
Westonaria, 6 February 2015: Sibanye Gold Limited (JSE: SGL &
NYSE: SBGL) wishes to report that on 5 February 2015, a conflict
between members of the Association of Mineworkers and
Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers
(NUM) at its Beatrix Operation (Beatrix) resulted in injuries to
9 employees. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the
conflict and injured employees were taken to hospital for
treatment.
Sibanye management condemns this regrettable incident, and urges
all of its employees and the leadership of AMCU and NUM, to work
together in the interests of employee safety and to ensure
peaceful co-existence.
In recent months, Sibanye has been verifying applications for
membership of AMCU from its Beatrix employees. The process,
undertaken under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation,
Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) confirmed that AMCU met the
minimum threshold for minority recognition status at Beatrix.
Sibanye management agreed to a request from AMCU to hold a mass
meeting at Beatrix, on the afternoon of 5 February 2015, in order
to get a mandate from its members for it to sign the minority
recognition agreement. While AMCU members were gathering and
preparing to proceed to the mass meeting, a conflict broke out
between AMCU and NUM members, which resulted in the above
mentioned injuries. Sibanye management and members of the Sibanye
Gold Protection Services (SGPS) intervened and separated the
rival groups.
Following the mass meeting, AMCU members were unable to return to
their place of residence due to the risk of further conflict.
Alternative accommodation was offered to the affected employees,
but they declined the offer, preferring to gather outside the
main gate at Beatrix.
The situation remains tense and management has decided to suspend
operations at Beatrix North and South shafts while it attempts to
restore calm and peacefully re-integrate the rival groups.
Management will be engaging Union leadership for assistance in
this regard.
Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye commented: “We have high health and
safety standards which we will not compromise. As such, we will
not expose any employee to the risk of violence and as a result
of this regrettable hostility between the unions, we have decided
to suspend operations at Beatrix until peace and order has been
restored. I urge AMCU and NUM leadership to work together with
us to intervene and normalise this situation in the interest of
the safety of their members.”
ENDS
Contact
James Wellsted
SVP Investor Relations
Sibanye Gold Limited
+27 83 453 4014
james.wellsted@sibanyegold.co.za
Sponsor
Sponsor: J.P. Morgan Equities South Africa Proprietary Ltd
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this document constitute “forward looking
statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the US
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the US Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
These forward-looking statements, including, among others, those
relating to Sibanye’s future business prospects, revenues and
income, wherever they may occur in this document and the exhibits
to this document, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best
judgment of the senior management of Sibanye and involve a number
of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to
differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking
statements. As a consequence, these forward looking statements
should be considered in light of various important factors,
including those set forth in this document. Important factors
that could cause the actual results to differ materially from
estimates or projections contained in the forward looking
statements include without limitation: economic, business,
political and social conditions in South Africa and elsewhere;
changes in assumptions underlying Sibanye’s estimation of its
current mineral reserves and resources; the ability to achieve
anticipated efficiencies and other cost savings in connection
with past and future acquisitions as well as existing operations;
the success of exploration and development activities; changes in
the market price of gold and/or uranium; the occurrence of
hazards associated with underground and surface gold and uranium
mining; the occurrence of labour disruptions and industrial
action; the availability, terms and deployment of capital or
credit; changes in government regulations, particularly
environmental regulations and new legislation affecting water,
mining and mineral rights; the outcome and consequence of any
potential or pending litigation or regulatory proceedings or
other environmental, health and safety issues; power disruptions
and cost increases; fluctuations in exchange rates, currency
devaluations, inflation and other macro-economic factors; the
occurrence of temporary stoppages of mines for safety incidents
and unplanned maintenance reasons; Sibanye’s ability to hire and
retain senior management or sufficient technically skilled
employees, as well as its ability to attract sufficient
historically disadvantaged South Africans representation in its
management positions; failure of Sibanye’s information
technology and communications systems; the adequacy of Sibanye’s
insurance coverage; any social unrest, sickness or natural or
man-made disaster at informal settlements in the vicinity of some
of Sibanye’s operations; and the impact of HIV, tuberculosis and
other contagious diseases. These forward looking statements speak
only as of the date of this document.
The Group undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release
any revisions to these forward looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this document or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Date: 06/02/2015 09:59:00 Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited ('JSE').
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