NUM rubbishes law expert‘s claims

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has read with disgust the insinuations contained in today‘s Business Report made by a certain Willem le Roux, director of Brink Cohen Le Roux Attorneys arguing that the target of zero fatality in the mining industry is unrealistic (see here).

That in itself suggests that the target for zero fatality is unattainable. The NUM condemn in the strongest words possible such kinds of irresponsible utterances by lawyers who largely make their income in one or the other through people‘s death. It is totally irresponsible to want to compare deaths in the mining industry with people dying on the roads.

He argues "We are not in heaven, people die..." as if he himself has ever been part of heaven or has been a chief angel in heaven. The majority of the mineworkers who die are black and therefore it does not occur to him and his ilk that breadwinners are being lost. Insensitivity is a foreign concept to him and his crowd.

The NUM further takes issue with his criticism of the constitutional court decision on the now deceased Mankayi. As a mine law expert, he obviously makes lots of his money from the mining industry which he tries so hard to defend and please. "We totally reject such narrow-minded conclusions when the mining industry is burying people alive" says Frans Baleni , the NUM General Secretary.

Statement issued by Frans Baleni, NUM General Secretary, May 11 2011

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