Jubilee SA starts legal steps against mining giants :Tuesday 21 August 2012. South Gauteng High Court has been informed on the intention to sue on behalf of affected miners.
(SABC) Civil rights group, Jubilee South Africa, have started legal steps in a bid to hold the country's mining giants accountable for illnesses incurred by workers at various mines. It has notified the South Gauteng High Court of its intention to sue. If class action ensues, the group will represent hundreds of thousands of miners.
The miners spent most of their time toiling underground, their only consideration providing for their families. Occupational health diseases like silicosis are among the most misdiagnosed conditions. Govt pushes for compensation of ex-mine workers:Sunday 14 June 2015. According to recent estimates, more than 700 000 cases of lung disease in former mineworkers remain unpaid.
(REUTERS) Former mine workers in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, have been urged to go for medical checks as government is assisting them to get compensation. According to the Deputy Minister for Mineral Resources Godfrey Oliphant, some of the mine workers have chronic illnesses due to the dust they inhaled while working in the mines. When Majaha Shiba started working in the mines at the age of 25, he was never informed of the high risk of contracting illnesses underground. He worked for 10 years as a contract mine worker at Sheba Mine in Barberton. The mine workers allege that the claiming process has proved to be fruitless in the past because of the huge amount of documentation that is required. Lots of those who made claims were never compensated and they lost hope along the way. "They have paid us a little bit but it so difficult as I spent a lot of money already. Former mine workers urged to go for annual medical check-ups:Saturday 13 June 2015. Some miners have developed chronic illnesses due to the dust they inhaled while working in the mines.
(REUTERS) Former mine workers in Nkomazi Mpumalanga have been urged to go for medical check-ups as Government is assisting them to get compensation. Deputy Minister for Mineral Resources Godfrey Oliphant, some of the mine workers have chronic illnesses due to the dust they inhaled while working in the mines. Oliphant says these former mine workers should also visit hospitals regularly to get help. He says some of the mineworkers were injured and were never compensated, so government is helping them. South Africas Sasol says employees file disease suit:Friday 3 April 2015.
Sasol Mining produces about 40 million tonnes of coal a year in South Africa(SABC) South African petrochemicals group Sasol said on Friday that 22 current and former employees had submitted a civil claim against its mining unit regarding illnesses allegedly contracted while they worked for the company.
"We are currently assessing the lawsuit," said Sasol spokesman Alex Anderson. "While we cannot provide further comment as the legal process is underway, Sasol Mining takes the protection of the health and safety of our employees and the employees of service providers very seriously," he said. Sasol Mining produces about 40 million tonnes of coal a year in South Africa, most of which is used in the process to convert the fossil fuel into synthetic fuel and chemicals. Anderson said the lawsuit was filed on behalf of the employees by Richard Spoor, whose legal battle against a South African asbestos mining company led to a $100 million settlement in 2003.