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Miners from a rival union are holding hundreds of their colleagues hostage in a South African gold mine!

Yes, that is correct. On October 24, 2023, police in South Africa said that miners from a rival union were holding hundreds of their colleagues underground at a gold mine. The miners were reportedly demanding that the mine recognize the rival union.

The mine is located in the town of Carletonville, about 70 miles southwest of Johannesburg. The mine’s owner, Harmony Gold, said that the miners had been underground since their night shift began on October 23.

Harmony Gold said that it was in talks with union representatives to resolve the issue. Police were also on standby, but they were not currently in contact with anyone underground.

The mine said that there were at least 543 employees underground in various sections of the mine. It added that there was some initial contact early on October 24 with the alleged hostage-takers. “Engineers who were working in the mine on Sunday morning were also caught up (in this),” Harmony Gold said. At least one man had sustained a serious head injury in scuffles, Harmony Gold said. The mine sent a paramedic and a security officer to bring him out on October 24 after an agreement that they could, but the two were also taken hostage, it said.

It is unclear how the situation will be resolved. However, it is a reminder of the tensions that can exist between different unions in South Africa.