Grass blowing in wind/ gold mine Drum music 01:00:00:00
Elliot going to work Williams: Like hes done every day for twenty years, Elliot Maneli gets ready for work in a place few will ever see, and most would never want to visit. 01:00:17:19
Evan and miners in lift To get to there Elliot shares a rusty shaft lift in a journey toward the centre of the earth. 01:00:32:03
As the dark closes in, water from a giant air-conditioner freezes the air. Its far from pleasant, and appears decidedly unsafe, but Elliots been hardened to this routine.One kilometre down, two kilometres to go. 01:00:38:17
Evan in lift Williams: Were going down again, Elliot?Elliot: Yes.Williams: Deeper again?Elliot: Yes. 01:01:03:11
Williams: Its an eerie commute, but Elliots so used to this descent he no longer notices the creaks and bumps of this flimsy carriage. He just heads down and down -- just like the price of gold itself 01:01:11:06
Elliot in lift Hes not so much worried about what awaits him down below, but more whats happening on the surface and far from here.Workers are worried and so are the bosses. 01:01:26:19
GodsellSuper:BOBBY GODSELLCEO, Anglogold Bobby Godsell: Im afraid to say-- and its grim to say it -- but death will be the result of retrenchment in this industry . Death -- as sure as we have death in mine accidents and in fact in far greater numbers unfortunately. Infant mortality rates will go up, the diseases of poverty, of poor water -- people are going to die from this thing. 01:01:38:19
MotlatsiSuper:JAMES MOTLATSIPres. National Union of Mineworkers Motlatsi: We are talking about quite a number of communities which will be destroyed, quite a number of people who will be devastated by the gold price, by the decisions of the international reserve banks. Now we are talking about the nation which will be devastated. 01:02:00;06
Evan and others in lift Williams: The gates of the lift open on another world. 01:02:30:03
Miners working in mine This is a place of tight spaces and stifling heat -- a world of half lit figures and constant noise. For many here, this is the only way to make a living. 01:02:40:05
Loco in mine/ miner talks to Elliot Elliot Maneli is a loco driver well respected by his fellow workers. 01:03:12:13
Hes also the union boss here at the East Rand mine. 01:03:17:05
And with plummeting gold prices threatening to close it down his work mates are hoping he might be their saviour. 01:03:23:08
Williams: So South Africas powerful black unions are again on the march. But far from the war of racial politics, todays battlefield is the international financial marketplace. And the enemy - faceless European central bankers whose actions threaten the future of the new South Africa. 01:03:49:04
The unfolding crisis has forged a desperate alliance between the miners and gold industry chiefs like Anglogolds Bobby Godsell.Rolling up his sleeves and taking on the enemy -- right now thats the British government. 01:04:14:05
Godsell with British official Godsell: We hope that your government can think seriously about its actions and will in fact review the current program of sales, in the interests of our country and in fact of gold producers, particularly developing countries who produce gold.FX: Chanting 01:04:28:05
Williams: Britain became the number one bogey man here when it decided to sell off half its entire reserves of gold. 01:04:46:00
British official British official: We shall certainly make sure that the position is transmitted back to the British government where it will be considered very carefully. 01:04:56:04
Godsell Godsell: Were not saying to central banks dont sell thats stupid, I mean we produce a product, we want people to buy it, and if we want them to buy it, they must be able to sell it. 01:05:03:23
We are saying, hey you cant reverse a hundred and fifty years of history in a few panicky weeks. Its not in their interests and its not in our interests. What we need is a kind of orderly pattern of central banks getting down to what they think are prudent levels of gold. 01:05:12:03
Williams: Bobby Godsells Anglogold is the biggest gold producer in the world. But that meant nothing when he took his case directly to the British government. 01:05:28:01
Godsell: We only had one meeting with the U.K. treasury and they were unmoving on the principle to sell, indicated this was a major sort of policy issue for them. 01:05:36:04
Motlatsi: I was in Britain, when the prime minister was asked, he said in his reply, its better for Britain to sell now than to sell tomorrow, because anyway the gold price will go down and down and down -- thats what he said. Now, which means for him his decision was important for the British people, regardless of the consequences of what will be caused by his decision to the developing countries. 01:05:47:14
Molten gold MusicWilliams: Quite simply, gold has lost its mythical lustre as the unique store of value, and has -- in part at least -- become just another commodity.With booming currencies and stocks, gold is no longer the most profitable way for central banks to hold reserves of national wealth. 01:06:26:21
For gold the disaster is best seen in the falling demand for the once mighty symbol of South African wealth -- the 22-carat Krugerand --now worth more to collectors than at a bank. 01:06:54:09
TereseSuper:TERESE DEKLERKSouth Africa Mint Terese: Well as were all aware that a lot of foreign countries started selling their gold reserves, so of course the demand is the lowest ever. I think you saw, there were four, five million a year minted and sold -- to South Africans mostly --maybe now about 200,000 a year. 01:07:06:16
Williams: Central banks may have gone cold on gold, but the worlds jewellery industry cant get enough of it . Still the price goes down, and thats bad news for the worlds biggest producer. 01:07:30:18
Terese: The big fear of course -- and its already well known -- is that people are busy losing their jobs, and that means poverty which the country cant afford. 01:07:43:14
Singing 01:07:52:11
Miners in amphitheatre Williams: At the East Rand mine that cold reality has hit hard. Elliot and his miners have just learned that their mine has been forced into liquidation, a move to be ratified in court in a week.Singing Williams: He has just four days to save five thousand jobs, and hes called an urgent meeting to brief the workers. 01:08:03:23
Elliot addresses meeting Elliot: Things are going so fast, we must go fast also. We received a message from the liquidators on Thursday but we opposed it-- so we rushed to the lawyers who said we must sign these affidavits. Comrades, we are opposing this liquidation in court because we deserve much more 01:08:29:15
Williams: In a race against time, he needs every miners signature so the union can act on their behalf in court.Elliot is attempting an unprecedented rescue strategy -- the unions challenging the companys decision to liquidate. 01:08:52:02
ElliotSuper:ELLIOT MANELI East Rand Union Chairman Elliot: Tomorrow maybe the mine maybe must be closed, so now our lawyers said no, we will oppose that. 01:09:09:07
View from car/Elliot in car Williams: Armed with the workers backing, Elliot is called to the city for an urgent meeting with government. But his straight-talking deputy Patience Mfula smells a rat. 01:09:25:00
Patience in car Patience : You see the liquidators to us we dont trust them because its obvious theyre working with the management. They threaten us just because we dont know the law 01:09:35:13
Williams: Elliot has a compromise to keep the mine open and get it back in the black -- four days on, four days off for all workers.But its going to be a tough meeting -- the creditors want their money, the government is tired of propping it up - and were told to wait outside. 01:09:51:03
Elliot talks with Evan After a couple of hours the unionists break to consider a bad deal. 01:10:13:13
Elliot: They want cheap labour, you see, and to retrench us all and give us the workers a monthly pay -- 400 rands or 500 rands, you see Williams: For one month?Elliot: For a month so, as you know we dont accept that. 01:10:18:11
Williams: The liquidators say they have a buyer for the mine, if the workers agree to halve their pay to about 400 rand or around 80 US dollars a month. 01;10:36:00
Elliot goes back to meeting Williams: But re-entering the fray, Elliot holds his ground and buys some time, keeping hope alive.Singing 01:10:50:14
Young woman singing/ choir 01:10:57:00
Williams: Death is a constant companion in Africas gold mines. And at the nearby Mpuno mine the flags are at half mast to mark a new tragedy.SingingWilliams: Nineteen men died when a gas explosion destroyed their tunnel thousands of metres down. 01:11:11:0001:11:25:22
Preacher Preacher: (unclear) 01:11:32:16
Williams: For the mines five thousand miners its a reminder of the risks they face every day in one of the worlds most dangerous industries.Its also a source of constant alarm for the miners union chief. 01:11:49:04
Man: Management will never run away from taking responsibility for what had happened in this mine.Williams: As terrible as this is, the lives of 19 miners is little compared to what the depressed gold price could do across southern Africa. 01:12:02:18
Motlatsi Williams: What alternative would these men here have if the price stays as it is, and the gold mines do start to close down? What would these men do? 01;12:24:22
Super:JAMES MOTLATSIPres. National Union of Mineworkers Motlatsi: Let me say to you, all these men here, 99.9 percent of them, are depending on gold mine. If the gold mine closes they have got nowhere to go. We will have ghost towns, and the people are not going to have employment. It will create havoc. It will also increase crime in this country. 10:12:32:12
Line of mine workers in canteen Williams: At the East Rand mine the workers dont understand the vagaries of international finance.They get by on a pittance, earning about 180 US dollars a month, forty of which they pay to eat here -- in the staff canteen.The rest goes to their families across southern Africa. These men share entire working lives together -- alone. 01:13:12:16
Petrus Fifty-one year old Petrus Manupuno has worked in this mine for 25 years to support his six children. 01:1345:00
Petrus: If the mine closes, I wont be able to do anything. The children will have to come out of school theyll have nothing to eat or to because Im their only support. 01:13:52:20
Miners union meeting Williams: Its the night before the court hearing that will determine East Rands future. Elliot has called the mines union executive in for a last minute briefing -- and a prayer in the form of South Africas anthem. 01:14:06:08
All sing 01:14:19:22
Guys get on bus Williams: The day of reckoning has come.SingingWilliams: The East Rand miners are heading to court for the final decision on their future. 01:14:54:21
Theyll be happy if they can just get the mine back on its feet long enough for the older workers to retire comfortably.Singing 01:15:17:05
Williams: Elliots managed to cajole a reluctant government into backing his plan, and hes more confident than ever. 01:15:32:14
Miners outside court All the lawyers have to do is stitch up the deal. Union officials are so buoyant, halfway through the hearing, they claim victory. 01:15:40:12
JohnSuper:JOHN MATSEBULAEast Rand Union Delegate John: So that means weve won the case at this point in time.Williams: Thats great. But not sure yet? John: No, we are not too sure, now we are negotiating 01:15:48:17
Williams: Its now late afternoon and Elliot gathers the workers to hear the official judgment. 01:16:03:10
Union official addresses crowd Its to be delivered by a senior union official. 01:16:09:04
Its a bombshell. At the last minute, the liquidators claimed a million dollar debt that the unions and government couldnt pay. 01:16:19:12
Evan and Elliot For Elliot its a devastating blow. 01:16:27:20
The case has been lost. The mine is closed immediately, as of this minute five thousand men are out of a job. They will get no severance. 01:16:33:15
For John and Elliot life as they know it is over. They have no idea how theyll support their families. 01:16:46:16
John and Elliot John: Well at the moment we will stay in the hostel until that day comes then we will split we will all go to our various homes Williams: You go home?John: Yes.Williams: Whats going to happen with all the families? What are you going to do for money? 01:16:54:00
John: Well I cannot say what were going to do.
Williams: Elliot, what are you going to do now?
Elliot: Now Im going home, to stay at home, because Ive no job, going to stay at home. Maybe the government now create a big crisis.Williams: Good luck.John: Okay, thanks. 01:17:14:04
Williams: Theyll look for other jobs, but in a country with a staggering forty percent unemployment their chances are slim. 01:17:33:24
Johannesburg Singing 01:17:42:05
Williams: As profits fall and mines close the City of Gold and those whove served can no longer rely on the treasure buried beneath it. 01:17:51:07
The way they think about gold here has changed forever. 01:18:02:02
END 01:18:12:02
Elliot going to work Williams: Like hes done every day for twenty years, Elliot Maneli gets ready for work in a place few will ever see, and most would never want to visit. 01:00:17:19
Evan and miners in lift To get to there Elliot shares a rusty shaft lift in a journey toward the centre of the earth. 01:00:32:03
As the dark closes in, water from a giant air-conditioner freezes the air. Its far from pleasant, and appears decidedly unsafe, but Elliots been hardened to this routine.One kilometre down, two kilometres to go. 01:00:38:17
Evan in lift Williams: Were going down again, Elliot?Elliot: Yes.Williams: Deeper again?Elliot: Yes. 01:01:03:11
Williams: Its an eerie commute, but Elliots so used to this descent he no longer notices the creaks and bumps of this flimsy carriage. He just heads down and down -- just like the price of gold itself 01:01:11:06
Elliot in lift Hes not so much worried about what awaits him down below, but more whats happening on the surface and far from here.Workers are worried and so are the bosses. 01:01:26:19
GodsellSuper:BOBBY GODSELLCEO, Anglogold Bobby Godsell: Im afraid to say-- and its grim to say it -- but death will be the result of retrenchment in this industry . Death -- as sure as we have death in mine accidents and in fact in far greater numbers unfortunately. Infant mortality rates will go up, the diseases of poverty, of poor water -- people are going to die from this thing. 01:01:38:19
MotlatsiSuper:JAMES MOTLATSIPres. National Union of Mineworkers Motlatsi: We are talking about quite a number of communities which will be destroyed, quite a number of people who will be devastated by the gold price, by the decisions of the international reserve banks. Now we are talking about the nation which will be devastated. 01:02:00;06
Evan and others in lift Williams: The gates of the lift open on another world. 01:02:30:03
Miners working in mine This is a place of tight spaces and stifling heat -- a world of half lit figures and constant noise. For many here, this is the only way to make a living. 01:02:40:05
Loco in mine/ miner talks to Elliot Elliot Maneli is a loco driver well respected by his fellow workers. 01:03:12:13
Hes also the union boss here at the East Rand mine. 01:03:17:05
And with plummeting gold prices threatening to close it down his work mates are hoping he might be their saviour. 01:03:23:08
Williams: So South Africas powerful black unions are again on the march. But far from the war of racial politics, todays battlefield is the international financial marketplace. And the enemy - faceless European central bankers whose actions threaten the future of the new South Africa. 01:03:49:04
The unfolding crisis has forged a desperate alliance between the miners and gold industry chiefs like Anglogolds Bobby Godsell.Rolling up his sleeves and taking on the enemy -- right now thats the British government. 01:04:14:05
Godsell with British official Godsell: We hope that your government can think seriously about its actions and will in fact review the current program of sales, in the interests of our country and in fact of gold producers, particularly developing countries who produce gold.FX: Chanting 01:04:28:05
Williams: Britain became the number one bogey man here when it decided to sell off half its entire reserves of gold. 01:04:46:00
British official British official: We shall certainly make sure that the position is transmitted back to the British government where it will be considered very carefully. 01:04:56:04
Godsell Godsell: Were not saying to central banks dont sell thats stupid, I mean we produce a product, we want people to buy it, and if we want them to buy it, they must be able to sell it. 01:05:03:23
We are saying, hey you cant reverse a hundred and fifty years of history in a few panicky weeks. Its not in their interests and its not in our interests. What we need is a kind of orderly pattern of central banks getting down to what they think are prudent levels of gold. 01:05:12:03
Williams: Bobby Godsells Anglogold is the biggest gold producer in the world. But that meant nothing when he took his case directly to the British government. 01:05:28:01
Godsell: We only had one meeting with the U.K. treasury and they were unmoving on the principle to sell, indicated this was a major sort of policy issue for them. 01:05:36:04
Motlatsi: I was in Britain, when the prime minister was asked, he said in his reply, its better for Britain to sell now than to sell tomorrow, because anyway the gold price will go down and down and down -- thats what he said. Now, which means for him his decision was important for the British people, regardless of the consequences of what will be caused by his decision to the developing countries. 01:05:47:14
Molten gold MusicWilliams: Quite simply, gold has lost its mythical lustre as the unique store of value, and has -- in part at least -- become just another commodity.With booming currencies and stocks, gold is no longer the most profitable way for central banks to hold reserves of national wealth. 01:06:26:21
For gold the disaster is best seen in the falling demand for the once mighty symbol of South African wealth -- the 22-carat Krugerand --now worth more to collectors than at a bank. 01:06:54:09
TereseSuper:TERESE DEKLERKSouth Africa Mint Terese: Well as were all aware that a lot of foreign countries started selling their gold reserves, so of course the demand is the lowest ever. I think you saw, there were four, five million a year minted and sold -- to South Africans mostly --maybe now about 200,000 a year. 01:07:06:16
Williams: Central banks may have gone cold on gold, but the worlds jewellery industry cant get enough of it . Still the price goes down, and thats bad news for the worlds biggest producer. 01:07:30:18
Terese: The big fear of course -- and its already well known -- is that people are busy losing their jobs, and that means poverty which the country cant afford. 01:07:43:14
Singing 01:07:52:11
Miners in amphitheatre Williams: At the East Rand mine that cold reality has hit hard. Elliot and his miners have just learned that their mine has been forced into liquidation, a move to be ratified in court in a week.Singing Williams: He has just four days to save five thousand jobs, and hes called an urgent meeting to brief the workers. 01:08:03:23
Elliot addresses meeting Elliot: Things are going so fast, we must go fast also. We received a message from the liquidators on Thursday but we opposed it-- so we rushed to the lawyers who said we must sign these affidavits. Comrades, we are opposing this liquidation in court because we deserve much more 01:08:29:15
Williams: In a race against time, he needs every miners signature so the union can act on their behalf in court.Elliot is attempting an unprecedented rescue strategy -- the unions challenging the companys decision to liquidate. 01:08:52:02
ElliotSuper:ELLIOT MANELI East Rand Union Chairman Elliot: Tomorrow maybe the mine maybe must be closed, so now our lawyers said no, we will oppose that. 01:09:09:07
View from car/Elliot in car Williams: Armed with the workers backing, Elliot is called to the city for an urgent meeting with government. But his straight-talking deputy Patience Mfula smells a rat. 01:09:25:00
Patience in car Patience : You see the liquidators to us we dont trust them because its obvious theyre working with the management. They threaten us just because we dont know the law 01:09:35:13
Williams: Elliot has a compromise to keep the mine open and get it back in the black -- four days on, four days off for all workers.But its going to be a tough meeting -- the creditors want their money, the government is tired of propping it up - and were told to wait outside. 01:09:51:03
Elliot talks with Evan After a couple of hours the unionists break to consider a bad deal. 01:10:13:13
Elliot: They want cheap labour, you see, and to retrench us all and give us the workers a monthly pay -- 400 rands or 500 rands, you see Williams: For one month?Elliot: For a month so, as you know we dont accept that. 01:10:18:11
Williams: The liquidators say they have a buyer for the mine, if the workers agree to halve their pay to about 400 rand or around 80 US dollars a month. 01;10:36:00
Elliot goes back to meeting Williams: But re-entering the fray, Elliot holds his ground and buys some time, keeping hope alive.Singing 01:10:50:14
Young woman singing/ choir 01:10:57:00
Williams: Death is a constant companion in Africas gold mines. And at the nearby Mpuno mine the flags are at half mast to mark a new tragedy.SingingWilliams: Nineteen men died when a gas explosion destroyed their tunnel thousands of metres down. 01:11:11:0001:11:25:22
Preacher Preacher: (unclear) 01:11:32:16
Williams: For the mines five thousand miners its a reminder of the risks they face every day in one of the worlds most dangerous industries.Its also a source of constant alarm for the miners union chief. 01:11:49:04
Man: Management will never run away from taking responsibility for what had happened in this mine.Williams: As terrible as this is, the lives of 19 miners is little compared to what the depressed gold price could do across southern Africa. 01:12:02:18
Motlatsi Williams: What alternative would these men here have if the price stays as it is, and the gold mines do start to close down? What would these men do? 01;12:24:22
Super:JAMES MOTLATSIPres. National Union of Mineworkers Motlatsi: Let me say to you, all these men here, 99.9 percent of them, are depending on gold mine. If the gold mine closes they have got nowhere to go. We will have ghost towns, and the people are not going to have employment. It will create havoc. It will also increase crime in this country. 10:12:32:12
Line of mine workers in canteen Williams: At the East Rand mine the workers dont understand the vagaries of international finance.They get by on a pittance, earning about 180 US dollars a month, forty of which they pay to eat here -- in the staff canteen.The rest goes to their families across southern Africa. These men share entire working lives together -- alone. 01:13:12:16
Petrus Fifty-one year old Petrus Manupuno has worked in this mine for 25 years to support his six children. 01:1345:00
Petrus: If the mine closes, I wont be able to do anything. The children will have to come out of school theyll have nothing to eat or to because Im their only support. 01:13:52:20
Miners union meeting Williams: Its the night before the court hearing that will determine East Rands future. Elliot has called the mines union executive in for a last minute briefing -- and a prayer in the form of South Africas anthem. 01:14:06:08
All sing 01:14:19:22
Guys get on bus Williams: The day of reckoning has come.SingingWilliams: The East Rand miners are heading to court for the final decision on their future. 01:14:54:21
Theyll be happy if they can just get the mine back on its feet long enough for the older workers to retire comfortably.Singing 01:15:17:05
Williams: Elliots managed to cajole a reluctant government into backing his plan, and hes more confident than ever. 01:15:32:14
Miners outside court All the lawyers have to do is stitch up the deal. Union officials are so buoyant, halfway through the hearing, they claim victory. 01:15:40:12
JohnSuper:JOHN MATSEBULAEast Rand Union Delegate John: So that means weve won the case at this point in time.Williams: Thats great. But not sure yet? John: No, we are not too sure, now we are negotiating 01:15:48:17
Williams: Its now late afternoon and Elliot gathers the workers to hear the official judgment. 01:16:03:10
Union official addresses crowd Its to be delivered by a senior union official. 01:16:09:04
Its a bombshell. At the last minute, the liquidators claimed a million dollar debt that the unions and government couldnt pay. 01:16:19:12
Evan and Elliot For Elliot its a devastating blow. 01:16:27:20
The case has been lost. The mine is closed immediately, as of this minute five thousand men are out of a job. They will get no severance. 01:16:33:15
For John and Elliot life as they know it is over. They have no idea how theyll support their families. 01:16:46:16
John and Elliot John: Well at the moment we will stay in the hostel until that day comes then we will split we will all go to our various homes Williams: You go home?John: Yes.Williams: Whats going to happen with all the families? What are you going to do for money? 01:16:54:00
John: Well I cannot say what were going to do.
Williams: Elliot, what are you going to do now?
Elliot: Now Im going home, to stay at home, because Ive no job, going to stay at home. Maybe the government now create a big crisis.Williams: Good luck.John: Okay, thanks. 01:17:14:04
Williams: Theyll look for other jobs, but in a country with a staggering forty percent unemployment their chances are slim. 01:17:33:24
Johannesburg Singing 01:17:42:05
Williams: As profits fall and mines close the City of Gold and those whove served can no longer rely on the treasure buried beneath it. 01:17:51:07
The way they think about gold here has changed forever. 01:18:02:02
END 01:18:12:02