THE five hundred South African miners staging a stay-down strike resurfaced yesterday after five days deep underground.

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) deputy president Joseph Montisetse went to the ASA Dilokong mine near Burgersfort in Limpopo to bring his members up.

“I can confirm that I went to fetch them underground and they reached the surface this morning at 1am,” Mr Montisetse said.

“They all came out singing, united and vowed to continue with the strike until the mine management addresses their demands. They also vowed to defend the NUM with their lives.”

But the NUM said the dispute is not over, with workers still demanding the withdrawal of spurious charges against the NUM branch chairman, branch secretary and the deputy secretary, and an end to harassment of health and safety reps by management.

The South African Communist Party sent a message of solidarity and support to the strikers.