Miningmx reports that SA’s mining sector had given itself about three months to return all foreign national employees to the country, beginning with a first batch of 9,500 – currently waiting on local government officials to sign their permits.
Roughly 10% of the SA mining sector’s 450,000 employees hailed from SADC countries, predominantly Mozambique and Lesotho, advised Niks Lesufi of the Mineral Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines). The first batch were mineworkers who had been asked to return by their employers. Lesufi indicated that it was unknown how many foreign nationals employed at the mines had decided to stay in SA when the Covid-19 lockdown was first announced on 26 March. Under level 3 lockdown regulations, the mining sector is permitted to return to 100% of production, but that may take weeks, if not longer, to materialise. Currently, some 227,000 employees have been screened and are at work – roughly half of the workforce. “The screening [of returning employees] will be in their home countries. Those who fail [the screening process] can’t come to the republic and will be diverted to the authorities in the labour sending areas,” said Lesufi. SA mining companies have agreed to assist in the event medical care in their home countries proves to be inadequate.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx
- Read too, SA mining industry seeks return of its foreign workers, at Reuters
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