Johannesburg - Penniless Aurora miners have issued a letter
pleading for help, as one of the company's politically connected directors
faces criminal charges for snubbing a court inquiry.
"We (will have) a black Christmas for (the third time)
this year: without food, clothes, toys or school uniforms. So we are please
asking you to help us with whatever you've got," states the letter,
according to TheTimesLive.co.za.
It was written on behalf of the 43 miners who still live at
the stripped Grootvlei Mine in Springs, on Johannesburg's East Rand.
Business Times reported at the weekend that former president
Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela was to face criminal charges for
failing to arrive for an inquiry by the Master of the High Court in Pretoria
this week.
This is after Johan Engelbrecht, the lead liquidator of
Pamodzi Gold assets, was quoted saying that they planned to lay the charges in
the coming week.
Aurora Empowerment Systems, which was led by Zondwa and
President Jacob Zuma's nephew Khulubuse Zuma, was singled out as the preferred
bidder for Pamodzi's mines when they went into liquidation in 2009.
Its management contract has since been cancelled after the
company was accused of destroying infrastructure at the mines and causing the
loss of more than 5 300 jobs.
The inquiry, which is in line with Sections 417 and 418 of
the Companies Act, seeks to investigate the conduct of Aurora, its directors
and managers, after the company took possession of the assets from Pamodzi.
The inquiry is also probing the conclusion of the interim
contract and mining agreement between Aurora and liquidators of Pamodzi.
Trade union Solidarity brought an application to have Aurora
liquidated as part of its claim for R3.1m in unpaid wages to workers at the two
mines.
