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Sibanye cuts more tasks after shutting loss-making Marikana shaft

South Africa's Sibanye Stillwater will close its 4 Belt shaft at Marikana and shed 855 jobs after stopping working to return it to profitability due to low platinum group metal (PGM) costs, the business said on Thursday.

The varied miner, like its industry peers Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum, is restructuring to include expenses after PGM costs plunged last year.

In February, Sibanye stated it cut about 2,000 tasks after reorganizing its PGM operations, consisting of closing mature and money-losing shafts.

Sibanye had actually held off shutting down the 4 Belt shaft during the previous restructuring round revealed in October, on condition that it might be operated successfully.

The shaft, which employed 1,496 workers and 54 specialists, was initially targeted for closure in 2019, however had continued operating, supported by a metal rate rally ever since.

In a declaration, Sibanye said 643 workers had been given voluntary separation or early retirement, 93 workers on fixed-term contracts would not be renewed while 65 employees and 54 specialists were laid off outright.

Some 469 employees were moved to Sibanye's other PGM operations, while another 226 were removed the payroll due to natural attrition.

We can not however continue to absorb ongoing losses, which in turn impacts the viability of the rest of the SA PGM operations to the detriment of all stakeholders, Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman said in the declaration.

On April 11, Sibanye likewise revealed strategies to reorganize its South African gold operations, which might result in the loss of 4,022 tasks at its Beatrix 1 shaft, which has actually not delivered planned production.

Sibanye also plans to cut tasks at its Kloof 2 plant, which has actually had inadequate processing product after the closure of Kloof 4 shaft in 2023.

(source: Reuters)