Johannesburg – The increase in fatalities at mines is worrying the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
This is after Tuesday's official release of the mine health and safety performance report for the 2022 calendar year by the Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe.
The mining union said that the mining sector has recorded 49 fatalities versus 74 in 2021, and to them, one death is one too many.
“This is unacceptable, and it has to stop. It is quite disturbing that the poor mine workers, who are earning peanuts, continue to die like flies in an industry that careless about their sweat and blood. Translating the 49 fatalities, that means 49 breadwinners perished in the line of duty,” said NUM.
The union says some of the deaths could have been completely avoided.
"We cannot continue with the same triggers of incidents responsible for injuries and fatalities in the mining industry. South Africa is capable of developing technology that can foretell the fall of the ground, seismic events, which are notorious for mining disasters. If we care about human life, the expenses or cost towards procuring such advanced technology should not matter much," a NUM statement read.
NUM Health and Safety Chairperson Duncan Luvuno said that it must be made very expensive to compensate families when a mineworker dies underground.
"With these figures released, we are totally not happy since there is reluctance from the government to prosecute the mining bosses for non-compliance with the Mine Health and Safety Act.
“Those mining bosses must be charged. Why not hold them accountable when a miner is injured or life is lost in the mines?" said Luvuno.
The Star