More than 500 National Union of Mineworkers members are allegedly being 'held hostage' at the Gold One mine on the East Rand by the rival Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. This may signal the beginning of the end of the unions' show of unity in recent years, which could have dire consequences for the mining sector.

Is the NUM-Amcu honeymoon over?

That certainly seems a possibility as more than 500 National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members are allegedly being held hostage by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) underground at the Gold One mine on the East Rand, according to the NUM -- an allegation that Amcu disputes.

The mine workers were working the overnight shift on Sunday and prevented from returning to the surface by armed men, NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu told Daily Maverick.

Gold One described the unfolding situation as both a "sit-in" and a "hostage" situation, while Amcu General Secretary Jeff Mphahlele said that NUM members who wanted to join Amcu were taking part in a sit-in.

"Gold One's Modder East Operations in Springs is aware and profoundly concerned about the ongoing sit-in, which has resulted in over 500 employees being held hostage underground, with at least nine employees sustaining injuries," the company said.

The NUM's Mammburu said the nine injured mine workers were NUM members who were attacked.

"There is a hostage situation at the Gold One mine -- 543 of our members are being held underground. They were not allowed to come back to the surface this morning," Mammburu...