Basotho Mineworkers Face Job Losses in Koffiefontein
  De Beers' decision to down scale its Koffiefontein mine will affect Basotho. It is not known exactly how many Basotho mine workers will be laid off by the Southern Free State-based mine, reported to have been experiencing severe financial difficulties since 2001.

The Northern Regional Co-ordinator of TEBA Lesotho, Mr Kikine Kikine said however that the impending retrenchments are not likely to affect a large number of Basotho, as not many of them are employed in that particular part of the Free State.

He said the total number of Basotho working in South African mines stood at 46 000 in December 2004, down from 54 000 in the previous year.

The decline was due to the down scaling by some mines, and new South African immigration laws, which discourage recruitment of foreigners and give South African nationals first preference, Mr Kikine said.

The Koffiefontein De Beers mine employs about 500 permanent  and about 200 contract employees.

The mine announced on February 1 that it had decided on downscaling as an alternative to closing down.

04 February 2005
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