Business Day comments that from being one of SA’s worst performers on the mining safety front in 2018, Sibanye-Stillwater has reached 10-million fatality-free shifts on its gold operations, which is no small achievement.
This is said to be a remarkable comment on how an increased focus on safety from the very top of an organisation, in this case led by CEO Neal Froneman, who came under intense scrutiny for Sibanye’s track record, can lead to change. Indeed, at the briefing on 24 January when the safety data was released by the Department of Mineral Resources & Energy, the company was congratulated for its improved safety record by its fiercest critic, Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu). In 2018, Sibanye recorded more than 20 fatalities on its gold mines. It was a brutal year for the company, which contributed to more than half of SA’s gold mining fatalities. “This is a significant milestone, which has never been achieved in the history of these gold operations, nor in the history of the SA deep-level gold mining industry,” said Froneman, who pointed out that the achievement meant 519 days without a death. “Milestones like these illustrate what can be achieved when all stakeholders contribute constructively and work together,” he stated.
- Read the comments on the above in full at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
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