Gold One mine workers staged yet another sit in but this time, the management claims they're unsure what the motive behind it is. Two months ago, over 500 workers downed tools and staged a sit-in underground over organisational rights between two unions, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

Gold One Mine's head of legal, Ziyaad Hassam, said they are unsure what the motive behind the latest sit-in is. However, they are speculating that it could be in connection to the workers who were dismissed yesterday. "Shortly after the commencement of the night shift, it became apparent that the workers would stage another sit-in or hostage situation. We are not sure how to characterise it yet. At least 70 of the more than 400 people underground are not affiliated with either AMCU or NUM, they are middle management or contract workers so we believe that those people are being held against their will." Hasaam added that two employees managed to escape and the information that they provided is that they were being held against their will. Both AMCU and NUM have distanced themselves from the situation. We are having high-level meetings with both unions later, however, it is possible that it is linked to Thursday's dismissals but we are just speculating at this stage," he said.

Hasaam explained that they concluded the disciplinary hearings on Thursday and 50 employees were found guilty and dismissed. "Those disciplinary hearings were concerning the previous hostage situation," he said. At the same time, more than 20 miners have been allowed to resurface at Weziwe's Bakubung mine in Rustenburg in the North West, after over 250 employees failed to resurface on Wednesday. Workers there are demanding wage increases, maternity benefits for female workers, and an an end to section 189 processes announced at the end of last month.