COSATU North West cautions against the false presentation of the China-African Precious Metals jobs project in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the North West warns against the disingenuous presentation of the China-African Precious Metals company which has been hailed for the expansion of its operations in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality in Orkney. The newly refurbished gold processing plant was launched this week with the promise of creating over 4 000 work opportunities.

The project is among provincial government's' investment initiatives aimed at addressing the high levels of unemployment and poverty in the province in partnership with the private sector. Whilst COSATU applauds the collaborative job creation efforts by the provincial government, attempts to twist the truth by misrepresenting the details of this plant are misleading given China-African Precious Metals' defiled reputation and the conditions of the touted 4 000 jobs.

In 2021, China-African Precious Metals exhibited traits of an apathetic employer, refusing to reverse a retrenchment notice to lay off 200 workers out of a workforce of 301 at its gold mine intheMatlosana Local Municipality. Its attitude hindered any progressive engagements with COSATU affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to save the jobs, despite countless endeavors to exhaust all options. Workers at the mine were aggrieved by the company's poor record in upholding decent working conditions. It had taken over the operations from 2012; promises to improve the maintenance of the mine shaft and the pumping of water from underground were not kept. Even then more promises of thousands of jobs were made, yet they remain unfulfilled.

The Federation is cheerless that the 4 000 jobs at the gold processing plant will not be permanent positions; they will be contract positions of no longer than six months. The devious move to conceal the terms of employment from the public is misleading.

Although job creation is fundamental in the betterment of our communities, short-term contracts will not offer the relief residents are desperate for if they will be out of jobs soon after employment. Generating sustainable opportunities should be government's main objective when negotiating investment initiatives. An approach that places the interests of the residents of North West must be applied at all costs, if we are to alleviate poverty.

COSATU urges the provincial government to ensure that operations and conditions of employment at China-African Precious Metals are within the lawand avoid false glory of infamous companies.

Issued by COSATU North West

For more information feel free to contact:

Kopano Konopi(COSATU North West Provincial Secretary) on 082 339 5836