Industry action

The Chamber of Mines and six mining companies (African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye) have supported the work of the national Department of Health in ensuring former mineworkers covered by the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act are able to claim and receive all the occupational health compensation benefits to which they are entitled.

The Chamber of Mines has funded the data capturing of over half of 900,000 hard copy files, and contributed around R34 million towards tracking and tracing former mineworkers with occupational lung diseases (OLDs), administrative improvements in the compensation system, and providing the public health system in labour-sending areas with the capacity to examine for OLDs and assist with compensation claims.

Companies have seconded a senior executive and six medical doctors to assist with management and the certification of claims; paid over R58 million for various services and committed resources (valued at some R30 million) to the endeavour.

In the past year 15,000 backlog claims were certified, and the expedited tracking and tracing of thousands of beneficiaries is underway.

Legacy issue 2

Silicosis

Lukas's story

Industry action