Overview

• Over 500 workers at Johannesburg's Modder East mine were trapped underground by a rival union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), who sought recognition as the sole union at the mine.
• Several miners were injured in violent confrontations, with one individual suffering a serious head injury. A paramedic and security officer who attempted to rescue the injured miner were also taken captive.
• The trapped miners, members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), included engineers and female employees.
• Despite deploying police and using mine telephones and two-way radios, attempts to establish contact with the hostage-takers have proved unsuccessful.
• The standoff reveals a long-standing rivalry between NUM and AMCU, which have been competing for bargaining rights over various South African mines. This rivalry was partly responsible for the 2012 Marikana massacre, a horrific episode in South African mining history.