JSE-listed junior gold miner, Sibanye Gold, on Tuesday said it had reached an agreement to end fighting between union members at one of its mines, Beatrix. It said unions had committed to ensuring peaceful co-existence and safe working environment at this particular mine.

Operations at Beatrix were suspended for two working days last week after violence between workers belonging to the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the ruling ANC-aligned National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), broke out.

The violent clashes of workers belonging to the two unions started last week Thursday when Amcu held a mass rally at the mine to sign a recognition deal at Sibanye Gold. The new agreement has allowed management to resume operations at the affected sections from the evening shift on Monday 9 February 2015.

Sibanye Gold said management will pay attention to completing its probe into the cause of the violence in order to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to book. Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye Gold, commended the unions’ leadership on the mature and cooperative approach they adopted during a period of high emotion, making the safety and interests of their members their primary consideration.

“It is in the interests of all stakeholders, that the mines are able to operate safely and in a sustainable manner and this is an encouraging example of how cooperation and understanding can result in a mutually beneficial outcome. This mature attitude bodes well for the future of mining in South Africa,” Froneman said.

Operations at Beatrix were suspended for two working days last week in the interest of the safety of its employees, Froneman said.

The affected sections, the North and South sections, produce approximately 25 kg (804oz) of gold a day, implying lost revenue of about R11.5 million ($992.680) a day during the closure of these sections.