Aurora to answer to Parliament

AURORA Empowerment Systems and the liquidators of the Pamodzi gold mines have been invited to appear before Parliament's portfolio committee on mineral resources next Wednesday, liquidator Enver Motala said.

"They basically want an overview on the whole process, on what is happening," Motala said yesterday.

"They want to discuss all these issues and they want to discuss the environmental problems in that area," he said.

The politically connected Aurora Empowerment Systems - whose directors include former president Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa and President Jacob Zuma's nephew Khulubuse - has been given until August by the Pretoria high court to obtain financing for Pamodzi gold mining group's Grootvlei and Orkney mines on the East Rand.

Motala said the liquidators were not influenced by Aurora's high-powered connections. "We did not accept Aurora's offer because of who is behind the offer. We are not protecting them because they are politically connected. I'd be extremely happy to kick them out because of the trouble they have caused us," he said.

"The liquidators are caught in the middle between Aurora and the secured creditors," Motala continued.

The mines are run down and unions, including the National Union of Mineworkers and Solidarity, have said they are being stripped of their assets. Pumps at the Grootvlei mine in Springs were not working, leading to the build-up of acid mine water.

The unions have called for their immediate liquidation so workers can be paid the salaries they are owed.

On Tuesday, Motala warned Aurora to produce "sufficient, irreversible progress" on the deal by the end of May or face cancellation. He said the main creditors of Pamodzi had told the liquidators their patience was running out.