More Deaths Inside and Outside of South Africa’s Mines

The recorded death toll for 2008 in South Africa’s mines is now 125, following three deaths at two locations on Friday, 19 September. The death rate in the country’s mines is now approaching 2007’s death toll, which was 10% higher than in 2006.

At DRDGold Ltd.’s East Rand Proprietary Mine (ERPM) near Boksburg, two miners died inside an elevator cage some 600 metres underground. The two were not in a gold-producing shaft, but were checking water levels for pumping purposes. The company claims they were overcome by gas. Inspectors for the Minerals and Energy Department issued an order prohibiting entry into all ERPM shafts until ventilation equipment was checked.

On the same day, 19 September, a winch driver at AngloGold Ashanti’s Savuka mine near Carletonville was killed in a shaft.

ICEM affiliate National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has taken a firm stand on observing the rash of mine deaths. With each mining fatality, workers will engage in a day-long Mourning Period in which no work will be performed.

The fatalities late last week were not the only mine deaths to occur in the past fortnight. On 17 September, a miner inside a shaft at Impala Platinum’s Rustenburg mine was killed by a battery-operated cargo hauler. And a day later, a miner died in a hospital from burns he suffered in a blast occurring on 26 August at AngloPlatinum’s Amandelbult mine. Another miner was killed then.

And also at Amandelbult, on 15 September, an AngloPlatinum miner was killed inside the No. 1 shaft. That brings six miners dead this year at the AngloPlatinum facility, compared to three in 2007 and five in 2006.

At yet another AngloPlats mine, this time at the Lebowa mine near Limpopo, a miner was killed in a winch accident on 10 September. Also on that date, a member of the NUM was killed at Exxaro Coal’s Grootegeluk mine near Ellisras. On 5 September, a contract employee for Redpath Mining at Aquarius Platinum’s Kroondal mine was killed above ground when he was struck by a load-and-dump vehicle.

Following mining deaths that occurred in August, NUM members have laid down tools on several occasions to observe Days of Mourning. On 11 September, 6,000 miners mourned a tragedy that occurred at Harmony Gold’s Elandsrand mine on 30 August. Two miners were killed when a shaft collapsed. And on 7 September, 5,000 workers stopped work and mourned when a miner died during another shift of ground at DRDGold’s Blyvoor mine. That incident occurred 4 September.

The NUM is seeking stricter penalties against employers for mining accidents under the proposed Mine Health and Safety Amendment Bill. The ICEM supports the NUM in lobbying efforts to make this needed legislation realty. The ICEM, as well, extends its deepest condolences to the families of South African miners who have died in these most recent tragedies.