Gold One has fired 445 employees for allegedly taking part in a pair of underground wildcat strikes at its mining operations in Springs, a move that may stoke tensions. Meanwhile, Impala Platinum (Implats) has suspended its firing of 38 identified instigators of a similar incident at its Rasimone mine in North West to allow them to plead their case.

The HR departments have been busy at Gold One and Implats in the wake of the underground sit-ins at their operations late last year, and the dust has yet to settle.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said Gold One had dismissed 445 employees over the lengthy sit-ins in October and December, which the union and company both described as "hostage situations". The NUM claims that many of its members were wrongfully fired as they were coerced into remaining underground.

"More than 100 NUM members have said they will appeal their dismissals and they want NUM to represent them. We are disappointed that some of the workers who were dismissed were in a hostage situation," NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu told Daily Maverick.

More than 100 other workers at the mine could be dismissed this week for allegedly taking part in an unprotected strike at the surface while the underground sit-ins were unfolding, Mammburu added.

Workers who down tools without going through the legal process required before a strike is called can be fired. This is why such stoppages are referred to as "unprotected" or "wildcat" strikes.

Gold One officials could not be reached for comment.

The dramas at Gold One...