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SowetanLive reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday it was disturbing that poor mineworkers “continue to die like flies” in a “careless” industry.
The union was commenting after a fatal accident at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville where four mineworkers died on Saturday afternoon. Six Kusasalethu mine employees were reportedly cleaning an underground mud dam when a wall fell on them, killing the four. In a statement, the NUM said the country was capable of developing technology which could foretell the fall of ground. It noted that seismic events were notorious for mining disasters. “We cannot continue with the same triggers of incidents responsible for injuries and fatalities in the mining industry. If we care about human life, the expenses or cost towards procuring such advanced technology should not matter much. It is quite disturbing that the poor mineworkers who are earning peanuts continue to die like flies in the industry that is careless about their sweat and blood,” the union indicated. The NUM called for a speedy investigation of the Harmony incident and for the department of mineral resources & energy and energy to “enforce the laws and ensure that companies take full responsibility for such incidents”. Cosatu also conveyed its condolences.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at SowetanLive
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