[miningmx.com] – SOUTH Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called on Riah Phiyega, the National Commissioner of Police, to allow the union to participate in the investigation against the directors of Aurora Empowerment Systems.
Khulubuse Zuma, nephew of President Jacob Zuma, and Zondwa Mandela, grandson of former president Nelson Mandela, as well as executive director Thulani Ngubane, and Sulliman and Fazel Bhana were last month found by the High Court of Pretoria to be personally liable for R1.7bn in debt incurred by mines they bought from Pamodzi Gold Mines in 2009.
“The Aurora directors robbed and stole so much money from our members,” said Joseph Montisetsi, NUM deputy president. “We have the obligation as the NUM to defend and represent our members,” he said.
The NUM said it wanted to make sure that the investigation led to the attachment of the assets the directors own. “Our members are waiting to be paid the money that is owed to them by these heartless directors,” said Montisetsi.
Workers at the Grootvlei mine have not been paid salaries while the mismanagement of the mine, and another former Pamodzi mine in Orkney, led to thousands of miners losing their jobs prematurely.
