The National Union of Mineworkers has noted with anger the ever-increasing fatalities in the mines after the death of two mineworkers who passed away last night at Modikwa Platinum mine in the North East region on what is reported to be a fall of ground. This month alone has already witnessed four mine deaths at Harmony Gold , Doornkop operation alone with one at Driefontein mine owned by Goldfields, one at Savuka mine outside Carletonville, one at Petra Diamonds in Kimberly, now two at Modikwa and others.

In 2011, over 120 miners perished in the South African mining industry, making the dream for zero fatality, a mere pipedream and a pie in the sky. The National Union of Mineworkers strongly believes that drastic action is needed to compel the mining industry to comply with safety standards and procedures. The Presidential Audit into mine safety revealed that only 67% of mines comply with the Mine, Health and Safety Act whilst the rest do not.

The NUM remains of the view that the state must undertake a technical audit into the mining industry to amongst others do an audit of the aging and ailing infrastructure that continue to fail hundreds of miners and leaving thousands of people as orphans.

The NUM anticipates that in an effort to do public relations in the wake of its failures, the mining industry would continue with its lip service and propaganda and argue that it is doing more and would continue to do more whilst lamenting on loss of production due to mine closures as a result of fatalities.

We call on the state to hold the industry fully accountable for its failures and adopt a no-nonsense approach when it comes to mine deaths.

Statement issued by Lesiba Seshoka, NUM National Spokesman, January 28 2012

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