A lawyer for Sibanye-Stillwater (JSE: SSW; NYSE: SBSW) was shot and killed in central Johannesburg in what authorities say bears the hallmarks of a targeted attack.
Chinette Gallichan, a 35-year-old litigation attorney, was gunned down Monday while en route to represent the South African miner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in a retrenchment case. Police said two unknown men followed her and opened fire before fleeing on foot. Gallichan was declared dead at the scene.
“She represented us in employee disputes, which often go to the CCMA,” company spokesperson James Wellsted told local media. “I know there was a dispute that she was busy dealing with, but I don’t have all of the details.”
The murder has intensified scrutiny around labour tensions in South Africa’s mining sector, even as Sibanye recently secured a three-year wage agreement with major unions including the National Union of Mineworkers, AMCU, UASA and Solidarity. Union officials said those involved in the retrenchment matter were not affiliated with recognized labour groups at the company.
No arrests
Police have not made any arrests and say the motive remains under investigation. Sibanye declined further comment, citing the ongoing probe, while labour leaders and industry representatives condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation.
Johannesburg ranks among the world’s more violent large cities, in a country where murder rates are about 45 per 100,000 people, though still below the extreme levels seen in parts of Latin America where rates above 50 are common.
AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa said the murder was “completely unacceptable” and urged authorities to mobilize all available resources to ensure justice. Emil Glas of the Solidarity Legal Network described the attack as a brazen act against a legal professional carrying out her duties.
Job cuts
Sibanye has proposed major job cuts in recent years including 4,000 in 2024. The company had a global workforce in 2022 of more than 84,000 in South Africa and the United States.
The company produced roughly 4.5–5 million oz. of platinum group metals and about 630,000 oz. of gold in 2025, with additional output from U.S. operations and recycling. It reported headline earnings of about R37 billion (US$2.19 billion), a South African measure of profit that excludes one-off items such as asset sales and impairments.
Shares in Sibanye-Stillwater have fallen 18% this year to about R50 apiece on Wednesday, valuing the company at R140 billion.
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