Fin24 reports that Optimum Coal Mine and the Shiva Uranium Mine, once owned by the Gupta family’s Tegeta Exploration and Resources, have been guilty of operational non-compliance for breaking mining regulations and posing risks to workers.  

This was according to a submission from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Parliament’s portfolio committee on mineral resources on Wednesday.  Optimum's operations have been under business rescue and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has cast doubt on the business' ability to pay salaries.  Chief inspector of mines at the DMR, Mthokozisi Zondi, told the committee that at an operational level Tegeta mines failed to comply with mining regulations when it came to infrastructure and operational equipment.  "We did inspections on their infrastructure and equipment.  There were instances of non-compliance.  At the gold plant their steel work was extremely eroded.  We issued them [a] Section 54 [instruction] to ensure that they install new steelwork," Zondi reported.  He added:  "Mobile machinery was not fitted with proximity detection systems, which prevent machinery from colliding with vehicles and people.  They applied for an exemption, but it was not granted because of the risk posed to people and vehicles."

• Read this report by Khulekani Magubane in full at Fin24

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