POLICE NEGOTIATORS have secured the release of four mining company supervisors who were held captive in a South African mine for 36 hours by about 500 contract miners.
Five supervisors working for the Crocodile River Mine (CRM) company were taken hostage by disgruntled workers on Thursday morning at the platinum and chrome mine near Brits in North West Province. One of the supervisors managed to escape, however.
The 500 miners, who are temporary employees with contractors, told the authorities they were engaging in the action, which included a refusal to leave the mine, because CRM bosses had reneged on a promise to make them full-time employees.