JOHANNESBURG, September 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE, NYSE, NASDAQ Dubai: GFI)
regrets to announce that employees of the East Section of the KDC
Gold Mine (KDC East) on the West Rand in South Africa continue to engage in an unlawful
and unprotected strike.
Approximately 12,000 employees are participating in the strike
which started with the night shift on August
29. To date three night shifts as well as two day shifts
have been lost.
It appears that the strike is the result of an internal dispute
between the local branch leadership of the National Union of
Mineworkers and certain employee groupings within the NUM
membership, who are demanding the resignation and replacement of
local NUM branch office bearers.
The senior leadership of Gold Fields' South Africa Region as
well as the KDC East mine continue to engage with stakeholders,
including local, regional and national structures of the NUM, with
a view to maintaining the peace and finding an urgent solution to
the problem.
Nick Holland, CEO of Gold Fields,
called on all stakeholders to place the safety and security of
employees ahead of any partisan interests and to engage in good
faith with a view to finding a peaceful solution. "The safety of
our people is our first priority and we appeal to all stakeholders
to continue to act with restraint," he said.
Gold Fields has been granted an urgent interdict to bring the
unlawful and unprotected strike to an end. Peter Turner, Executive Vice President and Head
of Gold Fields' South Africa Region, explained: "While we have the
right to proceed with the implementation of the interdict, our
preference at this stage is to assist the NUM leadership to resolve
their internal conflict peacefully and in a manner that would not
put at risk the employment and livelihoods of 12,000 people, who
are our employees and their members," Turner said.
Holland added: "We are giving this issue the highest priority
and have asked the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the
national leadership of the NUM to assist us in facilitating a
solution.
"The current situation calls for bold and exceptional leadership
from all stakeholders," he added.
There have been inaccurate reports that the ongoing strike is as
a consequence of the unilateral implementation by the Company of a
funeral policy scheme. This is completely devoid of truth.
Notes to Editors
About Gold Fields
Gold Fields is one of the world's largest unhedged producers of
gold with attributable annualised production of 3.5 million gold
equivalent ounces from eight operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru
and South Africa. Gold Fields also
has an extensive and diverse global growth pipeline with four major
projects in resource development and feasibility, with construction
decisions expected in the next 18 to 24 months. Gold Fields
has total attributable gold equivalent Mineral Reserves of 80.6
million ounces and Mineral Resources of 217 million ounces. Gold
Fields is listed on the JSE Limited (primary listing), the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ Dubai Limited, Euronext in
Brussels (NYX) and the Swiss
Exchange (SWX).
Sponsor: J. P. Morgan Equities
Limited
Investor Enquiries:
Willie Jacobsz
Senior Vice President
Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
USA Cell: +1-857-241-7127
RSA Cell: +27-82-971-9238
e-mail: willie.jacobsz@goldfields.co.za
Media Enquiries
Sven Lunsche
Vice President: Corporate Affairs
Cell: +27 83 260 9279
e-mail: sven.lunsche@goldfields.co.za
SOURCE Gold Fields Limited