Media releases

Blyvooruitzicht Gold Mine to discipline illegal strikers

Details

Published: Friday, 16 February 2007 02:00

DRDGOLD Limited announced today that the management of its subsidiary, Blyvooruitzicht mine near Carletonville, has started a disciplinary process against striking employees who began an illegal work stoppage at the beginning of the night shift on Tuesday, 13 February 2007. Johannesburg, South Africa, 16 February 2007. DRDGOLD Limited (JSE: DRD; NASDAQ: DROOY) announced today that the management of its subsidiary, Blyvooruitzicht mine near Carletonville, has started a disciplinary process against striking employees who began an illegal work stoppage at the beginning of the night shift on Tuesday, 13 February 2007.

The illegal work stoppage is believed to be related to worker concerns regarding the calculation of leave pay and to a demand by rock drill operators for a 40% wage increase.

The striking workers failed to respond to a court order served on Wednesday night (14 February 2007) prohibiting them from continuing with their illegal industrial action and to a management ultimatum issued last night (Thursday, 15 February 2007) for them to return to work or face disciplinary action.

Blyvooruitzicht is a mature mining operation, currently producing approximately 576 ounces of gold a day; while the mine has been able to maintain reduced levels of gold production by processing stockpiled ore and surface material, an immediate end to the illegal strike action is essential to prevent serious economic consequences to the operation.

DRDGOLD South Africa CEO Niel Pretorius said today: "To date, the illegally striking workers have been unresponsive to attempts by management and the National Union of Mineworkers to effect a return to work and to participate in discussions regarding their grievances, using established procedures; disciplinary action is the next logical step."

Queries:
South Africa
Investor and Media Relations
Ilja Graulich, DRDGOLD
+27 11 219 8707(office)
+27 83 604 0820 (mobile)

James Duncan, Russell & Associates
+27 11 880 3924 (office)
+27 82 892 8052 (mobile)

North America
Investor and Media Relations
Barbara Cano, Breakstone Group International
+1 646 452 2334 (office)

United Kingdom/Europe
Investor and Media Relations
Phil Dexter, St James's Corporate Services
+44 20 7499 3916 (office)
+44 779 863 4398 (mobile)

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DRDGOLD is a medium-sized, unhedged gold producer with investments in South Africa and Australasia.
In South Africa, the company has an 85% interest in DRDGOLD South African Operations (Pty) Limited (DRDGOLD SA), while in Australasia, it has a 78.72% interest in Emperor Mines Limited.

In the 2006 financial year, DRDGOLD SA contributed 60% or 315 976 ounces – of total attributable gold production of 527 401 ounces, and Emperor 211 425 ounces. At 30 June 2006, DRDGOLD’s total attributable resource base was 47.6 million ounces and its total attributable reserves were 8.8 million ounces.

For more information, please visit www.drdgold.com

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Disclaimer:
Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, adverse changes or uncertainties in general economic conditions in the markets we serve, a drop in the gold price, a continuing strengthening of the rand against the dollar, regulatory developments adverse to DRDGOLD or difficulties in maintaining necessary licences or other governmental approvals, changes in DRDGOLD's competitive position, changes in business strategy, any major disruption in production at key facilities or adverse changes in foreign exchange rates and various other factors.

These risks include, without limitation, those described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" included in our annual report for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2005, which we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on 15 December 2005 on Form 20-F. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report or to the occurrence of unanticipated events.