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GroundUp reports that twenty-two former mine workers are claiming more than R80 million in damages from Sasol Coal after they contracted serious lung and other diseases as a result of years of inhaling coal dust while working in the company’s underground coal mines.
They are arguing that Sasol Coal was negligent in failing to take adequate care to maintain healthy working conditions underground, in violation of several health and safety laws. Even if it was not negligent, the miners say the company bears liability for their ill-health and the loss of income for being unable to work. The miners are represented by Richard Spoor. In papers before the Johannesburg High Court, 12 of the 22 miners say they were dismissed from employment because they contracted lung-related illnesses which made them unable to continue working. Their claim is for the loss of income, aggravated by their inability to find alternative work due to age, illness, low educational levels and lack of qualifications. The largest individual claim is R10.2 million and the smallest is just under R1 million. In its reply, Sasol Coal argues that the matter has prescribed – meaning it is now too late to bring it before the court. Summons was served on the company in April 2015, more than three years after most of the miners had left Sasol’s employ. Sasol Coal’s court papers show several of the miners were dismissed for illegal strike action and some had received medical compensation once their conditions had been diagnosed. In other cases, workers’ medical conditions were deemed not severe enough for compensation. Some of the miners had previously worked at other mines.
- Read more of this GroundUp report by Ciaran Ryan at SA Labour News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page