Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
| by Veronica Van Dyk MP – DA Northern Cape Constituency Head of Kamiesberg |
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| Date: 23 October 2019 |
| Release: Immediate |
| The Democratic Alliance in the Northern Cape notes with concern that approximately 300 people are set to lose their jobs at West Coast Resources (WCR) diamond mine in Koingnaas.The DA has learnt that the executive chairperson of West Coast Resources, Marco Wentzel, informed staff that a process of preliminary liquidation would be effective from 18 October 2019, after an agreement with Kernel Resources, to take over the management of WCR, fell through. The application for liquidation will be heard later this month, on 29 October 2019.WCR is owned by the Trans Hex Group (67,2%), the Department of Public Enterprises (20,0%), Dinoka Investment Holdings (8,8%) and the Namaqualand Diamond Fund Trust (4,0%).All WCR operations, which saw 260 permanent employment opportunities plus an additional 69 temporary workers employed at the end of June 2018, have ceased with immediate effect and Transhex has undertaken to pay workers up until 18 October 2019.The closure of WCR is bad news for the people of Koingnaas. Hundreds of families now face a bleak Christmas, not knowing where their next pay cheque will be coming from.The shedding of jobs in the mining sector has become an all too common phenomenon, as government fails to promote mining investment. It is high time that government helps to build the mining sector instead of breaking it own.The DA will write to Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, asking government to intervene and see if there is anything that can be done to save the affected mining enterprise.However, until government scraps the mining charter and opens up our mining sector to more competition, innovation, and investment, we should probably brace ourselves for more devastating job losses in mines across the province and the country. |
| Media Enquiries |
| Veronica Van Dyk MPDA Northern Cape Constituency Head of Kamiesberg Shelley De WittResearcher082 847 1387 |
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