Wesizwe restructuring affects 429 jobs at Bakubung Platinum Mine
The restructuring follows a Section 189A consultation launched in June as the platinum producer seeks to preserve liquidity and reposition Bakubung for a sustainable operating model
Over 400 positions have been affected by the operational restructuring at Wesizwe’s Bakubung Platinum Mine in Ledig, North West, following the conclusion of a Section 189A consultation process.
In a statement released by Wesizwe on Sharenet on 1 October, the company confirmed that 399 employees had elected for and were approved for voluntary separation packages, while a further 30 employees were subject to compulsory retrenchment.
The company said the final outcome followed the conclusion of the Section 189A consultation and facilitation process, which officially ended on 31 August 2026.
The job losses follow a consultation process that Wesizwe formally announced in June.
In a media statement issued on June 4, the company said a consultation process had commenced in terms of Section 189(3), read with Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995, at Bakubung Platinum Mine.
Wesizwe said the process followed its ongoing review of the operational and economic position of Bakubung and the need to implement a turnaround strategy aimed at preserving liquidity, protecting the long-term viability of the operation and repositioning the business towards a sustainable operating model aligned with its future 3.5-million-tonne-a-year strategy.
At the time, Wesizwe stressed that no final decision had been taken regarding retrenchments. The company described the Section 189 process as a formal, joint consensus-seeking consultation with recognised trade unions and elected employee representatives.
The consultation was intended to consider the reasons for the proposed restructuring, alternatives to retrenchment and measures that could mitigate the impact on employees. Wesizwe also acknowledged the potential effect of the process on employees, their families, host communities and other stakeholders.
A separate company announcement issued on 3 June provided further detail on the proposed restructuring. Wesizwe said the process could initially affect approximately 497 employees across various staff levels and disciplines.
At the time, the company said Bakubung had a total workforce of 706 employees and that the proposed restructuring was intended to improve operational efficiency and achieve a meaningful reduction in operating expenditure.
Wesizwe said its preliminary assessment indicated that viable alternatives to the proposed workforce reduction were limited. It added that maintaining the existing headcount would not be reasonable or sustainable given the operational challenges facing the mine and the need to implement efficiency measures.
Following the consultation process and the implementation of mitigation measures, the number of affected positions was reduced from the approximately 497 initially identified to 429.
Wesizwe said the general workforce termination date was August 31, with statutory and agreed severance payments to affected employees completed by September 30.
