He added that he was determined to transform labour relations in the mining industry. As the miners were leaving the stadium at the end of his speech, about a hundred of them surrounded Mr Khumalo to shake him by the hand. There was hope in their eyes. But in their huts in the compounds that evening, many admitted to not having understood a word. One year later Mzi Khumalo had already given up the chairmanship of JCI and on 29 January 1998 now resigned from the board of directors.
City newspapers write that gold is now just another raw material.
In the course of that dramatic year, differences within the Board increased. It broke into three camps. Many anxious shareholders then sold their holdings, and JCI shares lost half their value. The mining operations, including South Deep, seem to be the only profitable activity. Only Anglo has the financial capacity to buy the new company, JCI Gold.