When the time scheduled for the hearing of the case was moved from the initial 2.30am to 3.30am, interested parties like international and local media waited eagerly only to be disappointed when it was postponed.
Attorneys from both parties moved from the Industrial Court’s conference room to the car park and back again for the negotiations.
The negotiators observed a strict code of silence and refused to talk about what was going on. The Industrial Court lobby that had filled to capacity began to thin as people’s patience ran out.
When eventually everyone was called at around 7pm, there was disappointment when it was announced that the case had been postponed to today.
The Industrial Court had scheduled to rule on the fate of the BMWU officials from all the diamond mines, said to have defied a court order and incited members to go on an illegal strike. The miners started a strike on Monday to press for better pay.
