The company Syrah Resources, which exploits graphite in Cabo Delgado, said yesterday that the expelled workers had been disciplined after engaging in an "illegal strike" at its mine in Balama.

According to the company, in a statement quoted by Lusa, given the extensive and illegal nature of the actions carried out by the group, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against 14 workers, who were given the opportunity to respond in accordance with the legal framework of the Labor Code. "The result of the disciplinary process ended up being the dismissal of 12 of the 14 workers," Syrah Resources said in a statement.

Last week, a group of workers from Twigg Exploration & Mining, a subsidiary of Australian group Syrah Resources, accused the company of illegally dismissing employees who were involved in a strike in November at its mine in Cabo Delgado.

According to the workers' representative, Tobias António, all from Cabo Delgado, the strike was collective and peaceful, but the company dismissed workers who were chosen to represent the other employees at the time of the mediation by telephone.

Meanwhile, although Syrah Resources claims in its reaction note that 12 workers were made redundant, the representative of the plaintiffs claims that the measure was extended to a total of 23 people, in a case that has been dragging on since December last year and which has been submitted to the Cabo Delgado authorities, especially the local government.