Business Report writes that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for an investigation into rising fatalities in the mining industry after two mineworkers died last week at AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng Mine, near Carletonville in North West.  Six other miners are recovering in hospital following a fall-of-ground incident that was triggered by a seismic event of 1.1 magnitude at 3.6km around 9.30am on Thursday.

“A thorough investigation is needed to get to the bottom of the fatalities,” Erick Gcilitshana, NUM health and safety secretary said on Friday.

Gcilitshana said the increasing number of fall-of-ground incidents, particularly in Klerksdorp and Carletonville, was worrying. Two mineworkers died at the Mponeng mine in October, while two others died at AngloGold’s Kopanang mine in September due to fall-of-ground incidents.

Four mineworkers died in July at the Tau Lekoa mine, owned by Heaven Sent a Chinese venture capital firm, following a fall-of-ground incident and five others died at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine in August.

“It is a point for serious concern for us. The principals, including chief executives, unionists and the officials from the Department of Mineral Resources, need to come together and discuss safety and how to achieve the vision of zero harm,” said Gcilitshana.

Deputy Mineral Resources Minister, Godfrey Oliphant said last month that the department had called for an urgent meeting to address fatalities in mines.

Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane in August appealed for extra caution to be taken on health and safety in the mines, following the accident at the Kusasalethu mine.  He said at the time: “We are concerned about the accidents we are seeing in the industry. As we head towards the last quarter of the year, we are asking that employers and the workforce remain alert and continue to prioritise safety, and as the regulator we will be increasing inspections,” Zwane said at the time.

The DA on Friday said that it was concerned by news of yet another underground incident at the Mponeng mine in Carletonville.  “Yesterday’s incident was the third at the mine in just over a month. South African mines are some of the deepest in the world and although they have become much safer in the last few years, there is no room for complacency,” the DA said.

Read this report by Dineo Faku in full on page 18 of Business Report of 6 November 2017

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