SPRINGS, South Africa (AP) — Hundreds of miners who spent three days underground because of a union dispute left a gold mine in South Africa on Wednesday, mine officials and the union at the center of the standoff said. The AMCU union denied anyone was held against their will despite police and mine officials calling it a “hostage” situation. The AMCU union says it represents the majority of miners at Modder East and they want the union to be recognized. The mine currently has a closed-shop agreement for its miners to be represented by another union, the National Union of Mineworkers, or NUM. “Look, the dispute is simple, and we have been saying this for the past few days,” AMCU regional secretary Tladi Mokwena said.
