Kombat dragged to labour office despite 'generous' offers
Katti vows mine will bounce back stronger
The offer, which resulted from flooding that halted the mine's operations, includes extended healthcare benefits.
Despite offering generous severance packages, extended healthcare benefits, and dedicated job placement assistance in partnership with local organizations, Trigon Metals, owners of the Kombat copper mine, has been taken to the labour commission by retrenched employees following the mine’s flooding and subsequent halt in operations.
The mass job losses at Kombat copper mine have escalated into a formal labour dispute after the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) urgently brought the matter to the attention of the Labour Commission.
Union leader Fillepus Ampweya confirmed yesterday that more than 500 mineworkers had mandated the union to challenge the retrenchments, specifically questioning the procedures followed.
“It is clear that management blatantly ignored the correct procedures. The sudden and secretive nature of these dismissals has compelled us to escalate this dispute urgently,” Ampweya stated.
A total of 533 Kombat mineworkers lost their jobs.
Suspension of mining operations
Trigon Metals, the Canadian-listed company that owns the Kombat copper mine, issued a statement on Friday, January 31, announcing the suspension of all mining activities at the site. This came after employees were retrenched the previous Thursday and the mine's gates were locked early Friday.
The company informed its overseas shareholders of a "proactive operational adjustment," citing "unplanned maintenance requirements" for its dewatering systems.
Earlier in January, Trigon reported the failure of both main dewatering pumps on the morning of January 16, 2025, leading to the suspension of underground mining due to expected flooding risks.
"The submersible pumps are critical to operations at Kombat, and their unexpected failure has left no immediate solution for a full system recovery. Both pumps have been removed from the shafts and sent to a third-party engineering firm for independent verification of the root causes of their failures. Unfortunately, as water levels return to their normal depths of 60 meters in Shaft 1 and 120 meters in Shaft 3, mining operations will remain suspended until dewatering activities resume. The company expects dewatering to restart in Q3 2025, provided the pumps are repaired and the risk of recurrence is mitigated successfully,” Trigon stated.
Retrenchments and employee support
“As a result of this operational setback, the company is also announcing the retrenchment of the majority of its on-site workforce,” Trigon’s latest statement reads. “While this decision is necessary under the current circumstances, it is made with deep regret.”
Trigon claims to remain committed to supporting affected employees, offering generous severance packages, extended healthcare benefits, and dedicated job placement assistance in partnership with local organizations. The company remains optimistic about rehiring and reintegrating its workforce once operations resume.
Union’s responds to retrenchments
Ampweya, however, argues that the lack of adequate notice denied workers the opportunity to prepare.
“Not only were employees not informed about the need for medical examinations, but the failure to determine their health status upon termination has serious implications for their well-being,” he added.
Reactions from Trigon and Katti
Trigon’s CEO Jed Richardson expressed gratitude to employees and contractors, stating: “Their dedication has been instrumental in our progress so far.”
Local shareholder and businessman Knowledge Katti also commented: “We recognize the valid concerns of the Kombat community and all Trigon Mining employees during this challenging period. While this temporary pause is a setback, it is also an opportunity to strengthen our foundation for the future.”
He insisted: “Together, we will come back stronger.”
The mass job losses at Kombat copper mine have escalated into a formal labour dispute after the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) urgently brought the matter to the attention of the Labour Commission.
Union leader Fillepus Ampweya confirmed yesterday that more than 500 mineworkers had mandated the union to challenge the retrenchments, specifically questioning the procedures followed.
“It is clear that management blatantly ignored the correct procedures. The sudden and secretive nature of these dismissals has compelled us to escalate this dispute urgently,” Ampweya stated.
A total of 533 Kombat mineworkers lost their jobs.
Suspension of mining operations
Trigon Metals, the Canadian-listed company that owns the Kombat copper mine, issued a statement on Friday, January 31, announcing the suspension of all mining activities at the site. This came after employees were retrenched the previous Thursday and the mine's gates were locked early Friday.
The company informed its overseas shareholders of a "proactive operational adjustment," citing "unplanned maintenance requirements" for its dewatering systems.
Earlier in January, Trigon reported the failure of both main dewatering pumps on the morning of January 16, 2025, leading to the suspension of underground mining due to expected flooding risks.
"The submersible pumps are critical to operations at Kombat, and their unexpected failure has left no immediate solution for a full system recovery. Both pumps have been removed from the shafts and sent to a third-party engineering firm for independent verification of the root causes of their failures. Unfortunately, as water levels return to their normal depths of 60 meters in Shaft 1 and 120 meters in Shaft 3, mining operations will remain suspended until dewatering activities resume. The company expects dewatering to restart in Q3 2025, provided the pumps are repaired and the risk of recurrence is mitigated successfully,” Trigon stated.
Retrenchments and employee support
“As a result of this operational setback, the company is also announcing the retrenchment of the majority of its on-site workforce,” Trigon’s latest statement reads. “While this decision is necessary under the current circumstances, it is made with deep regret.”
Trigon claims to remain committed to supporting affected employees, offering generous severance packages, extended healthcare benefits, and dedicated job placement assistance in partnership with local organizations. The company remains optimistic about rehiring and reintegrating its workforce once operations resume.
Union’s responds to retrenchments
Ampweya, however, argues that the lack of adequate notice denied workers the opportunity to prepare.
“Not only were employees not informed about the need for medical examinations, but the failure to determine their health status upon termination has serious implications for their well-being,” he added.
Reactions from Trigon and Katti
Trigon’s CEO Jed Richardson expressed gratitude to employees and contractors, stating: “Their dedication has been instrumental in our progress so far.”
Local shareholder and businessman Knowledge Katti also commented: “We recognize the valid concerns of the Kombat community and all Trigon Mining employees during this challenging period. While this temporary pause is a setback, it is also an opportunity to strengthen our foundation for the future.”
He insisted: “Together, we will come back stronger.”
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