Nearly 800 jobs could be lost at Seriti Power, adding to growing concern over employment in Mpumalanga as several major industrial employers face financial and operational pressure.
According to Solidarity, Seriti has launched a Section 189A restructuring process affecting its head office and several mining operations.
About 3,345 employees are expected to receive formal notices that they may be affected by the restructuring, with 1,043 positions initially at risk. After measures to reduce job losses are considered, Seriti currently anticipates around 780 possible retrenchments.
Seriti reportedly attributed the restructuring to ongoing cost pressures, ageing mining assets, lower production, rising unit costs and the limited remaining lifespan of some operations.
Solidarity warned that the Seriti process comes at a difficult time for Mpumalanga, where other major employers are also under pressure.
Transalloys suspended production at its Mpumalanga smelter in July amid electricity-cost concerns, while jobs at Ferroglobe’s eMalahleni smelter have also been reported to be at risk.
The latest consultation could therefore add further pressure on coal-mining communities in Mpumalanga, where mining remains a major source of employment, with the impact potentially extending beyond workers to families, contractors, local businesses and towns that depend on mining and heavy industry.
No final decision on the Seriti retrenchments has yet been taken. A CCMA-facilitated consultation process is expected to consider alternatives such as redeployment, transfers, voluntary severance packages and early retirement.
The proposed termination date for employees ultimately affected is 31 December 2026.