Kusasalethu mine sit-in ends

However, the mine will remain closed for the festive season and until labour related discussions resume in January.

Tom Smith‚ chief operating officer of Harmony‚ said: "We are pleased that employees returned to the surface and will be able to be home with their families for the festive season. We would also like to thank the Department of Mineral Resources for their involvement in resolving the matter."

The workers who staged the sit-in were demanding the reinstatement of 578 colleagues suspended last week.

Kusasalethu is a mine where the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has recruited members and it was one of those affected by the wildcat strikes that swept through platinum and gold mines between August and October‚ costing companies billions of rand in lost revenue.

The 578 workers including contractors engaged in an illegal sit in and were suspended on Wednesday (19 December)‚ said Henrika Basterfield‚ Harmony's investor relations manager.