The Committee raised concern about poor relations between the Smokey Hills mine and its former employees who were dismissed allegedly without following proper procedures in terms of labour laws. The mine has resorted to a militarised approach to mine security. The Committee also felt that Smokey Hills mine had not displayed commitment to long term investment. The evidence of this was the mine management's reference to the short life span of the mine, which they estimated to be about five years. The physical evidence of the lack of long term commitment was the prefabricated structures and containers that the mine was using to administer its operations.