Press Release Archive - 2007

Anglo Platinum announces that it will suspend underground production at its Rustenburg Platinum Mine's Rustenburg section for approximately 7 days to implement measures to address concerns associated with the safety of employees.

In line with Anglo American's core safety values, Anglo Platinum's highest priority remains the safety of employees (including contract employees). Management has invested significant resources in the implementation of a comprehensive suite of safety standards and initiatives designed to deliver a sustainable step change improvement in safety performance.

During the first half of 2007, however, the safety record at Anglo Platinum's Rustenburg section deteriorated significantly. Over the past two weeks, five employees have lost their lives in work related events at the Rustenburg section – bringing the total there to 12 during 2007. Despite the initiatives already in place, in consultation with Anglo American, management has decided to take immediate action. Management believes that the appropriate action must be to suspend production.

The intervention will ensure that every employee fully understands the principles and accountability underlying all current safety standards, initiatives and programmes and that safety is the overriding priority. The audit of each workplace will ensure that measures are in place to safely implement the suspension of production and will identify and address any new factors that contributed to the deterioration.

While each underground production shaft at Rustenburg section will halt production for between 5 and 7 days, expected to commence on 22 June 2007, the intervention programme at the mine will be staggered over a five-week period to optimise resource allocation and the effectiveness of contact between management and employees.

Anglo Platinum expects production in 2007, as a direct result of this intervention, to reduce by between 10 000 and 15 000 ounces of refined platinum and the proportionate reduction of associated by- products produced.

Chief Executive Officer Ralph Havenstein said, “Employee safety is our highest priority and where extreme steps are necessary we will not hesitate to take action. This intervention will greatly support the ongoing initiatives already in place to assist us in reaching our objective of zero harm.”

Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American said, “As I have consistently emphasised publicly, achieving a dramatic improvement in the Group's safety performance is an overriding priority in the programme of change that we are taking forward within Anglo American. We must ensure that our operations are places from which employees and contractors return safely at the end of their workday. The suspension reinforces our commitment to safety and makes clear that we will take the measures necessary to deliver on that objective.”