Gold One Modder East operation mine claims production was majorly affected during the two sit ins/hostage situations staged by some of the miners, costing them millions of Rands each day. They said this after announcing the dismissal of 400 mine workers who were implicated in the hostage drama that lasted over three days.

The first hostage drama staged in the last quarter of 2023 was a labour dispute with mine workers calling for the inclusion of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) where only the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is currently recognised. The second incident happened in December after 50 mineworkers were dismissed for their involvement in the first sit in. Gold One's head of legal, Ziyaad Hassam said the company lost out in production amounting to R12 million a day during the hostage. "It is definitely a severe impact on our production and we've had to revise our production budget in the short term until we are able to get back to full compliment but it certainly is a serious knock for us from an operational perspective." Hassam said the dismissed mineworkers face criminal charges. "They warranted criminal charges, they were also in contravention of the company's disciplinary code, as well as being in contravention of two interdicts from the Labour Court, preventing any illegal action and they also placed the company under serious financial strain."

NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu confirmed news of the dismissal, claiming that they will challenge the company's decision. However, he said NUM is distancing itself from workers who held the others hostage and will not be representing them. "We are aware that Gold One has dismissed 401 workers, we will appeal this decision, but to be clear we will take no part in representing the instigators of the hostage situation and violence while the workers were underground."