North West - Amid one of SA’s worst labour disputes, it has emerged that a company with links to the Zuma family provides contract labour to the platinum sector and other mines.
This comes against the background of mining insiders, including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), admitting that labour broking is rife in the industry – regardless of Cosatu’s agitation for a ban on brokers.
JIC Mining Services lists President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane, along with RK (Rajesh) Gupta as non-executive directors.
The company is majority-owned by Oakbay Investments, the family investment vehicle of the Guptas.
According to the company website, JIC provides contract workers to major industry players, including Impala Platinum where, earlier this year, four miners were killed.
JIC is not involved in Lonmin.
Several trade journals also describe JIC as one of the biggest suppliers of contract labour.
Independent labour analyst Terry Bell said 30 to 40 percent of mining sector workers were hired through labour brokers.
“This is happening even as Cosatu is organising against labour brokers,” Bell said.
NUM general-secretary Frans Baleni, who acknowledged labour broking was rife in the mining sector, also confirmed that the union had a full agreement with JIC.
Duduzane Zuma, who is linked to the Guptas through directorships in various companies, confirmed he was a non-executive director at JIC, but said he would not comment.
Gupta family spokesman Gary Naidoo said questions about political connections presupposed many “unfortunate and unsubstantiated rumours” created by the media.
Sunday Independent