The corporate mentioned it had obtained a court docket order towards the job boycott. “The longer-term affect of this unlawful strike poses a danger to sustainable employment, notably given Impala Bafokeng’s current underperformance,” Impala mentioned.
Impala acquired the belongings of smaller producer Royal Bafokeng Platinum final yr following a protracted battle with Northam Platinum.
The group and its South African platinum group metal-producing friends Anglo American Platinum and Sibanye Stillwater, going through their worst disaster in many years, are slicing 1000’s of jobs to comprise prices after steel costs plunged final yr.
Costs of platinum – principally utilized by automakers to curb poisonous emissions – fell sharply amid considerations over weak world financial development and destocking by producers who constructed up inventories throughout Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Impala has mentioned it might minimize 3,900 jobs because it restructures its South African operations, whereas Anglo American Platinum plans to put off 3,700 employees.
On Tuesday, Sibanye Stillwater mentioned it had diminished its workforce by 14% from 81,500 workers on the finish of 2022 to only over 70,000 at the moment by a mix of layoffs, pure attrition, a hiring freeze and a evaluate of contractor preparations.
(By Nelson Banya; Modifying by Jan Harvey)