Department of Employment and Labour to strengthen collaboration, expand outreach programmes to extend access to estimated R10-billion social security due to ex-mine workers
The Department of Employment and Labour Acting Director General, Jacky Molisane has committed the department to ramp up its effort to continue to strengthen collaboration, expand outreach programmes, improve access to Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation Fund (CF) services for ex-miners.
Molisane said by accelerating access to social security working with all partners - this is to ensure that ex-mine workers receive the dignity, support and benefits they deserve.
“The Department of Employment and Labour, through the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Compensation Fund, continues to implement interventions aimed at improving access to social protection and compensation benefits for workers, including former mine workers,” she emphasised.
Molisane was speaking during an ex-mineworker stakeholder’s session held at Umgazana River Lodge conference centre in the coastal town of Port St Johns. The session was intended to resolve and finalise matters related to compensation of ex-miners and their access to social security insurance.
Participating in the session was the Department of Employment and Labour, Eastern Cape provincial government led by Premier Oscar Mabuyane, department’s entity the Compensation Fund, Rand Mutual Assurance, National Department of Health and SA Medical Association and various stakeholders.
- -mineworkers affected by historical injustices. Today’s discussion among others focused on interventions and resolutions on coordinating and resourcing the Ex-mineworkers Intervention Programme.
- -miner’s stakeholder session is a culmination of a week-long intensive multidisciplinary and departmental initiative to also bring access to government services in the impoverished coastal communities of Port St Johns and neighbouring areas. These services included conducting inspections and processing unemployment insurance and compensation for occupational injuries and diseases claims, career counselling and registration of work seekers on ESSA system.
Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (MBOD) and Compensation Commissioner for Occupational Diseases (CCOD), Commissioner Barry Kistnasamy said there were some R10-billion claims due to ex-miners. Kistnasamy called for urgent access to database of ex-mine workers. He said his organisation has assisted in the payment of R1-billion.
He said government had a debt of R18 million that is due to the ex-miners located in Port St Johns. Kistnasamy said there can never be an excuse to hide behind Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act to access information to facilitate payment.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said he cannot accept the excuses that database(s) cannot be accessed “when we are trying to alleviate the suffering of our people. It is unfortunate that the rewards of workers efforts have not followed them to home”.
Molisane acknowledged the invaluable partnership between the Department, the Office of the Premier, Rand Mutual Assurance, the Thubalethu Project, organised labour, community structures, and all stakeholders who continue to work tirelessly to address the challenges confronting ex-mine workers.
The Acting DG reiterated that the CF remains a critical pillar in providing compensation and support to workers who suffered occupational injuries and diseases in the course of their employment. Similarly, the UIF continues to extend support to qualifying beneficiaries through unemployment, illness, maternity, dependants', and other benefits. The Fund’s outreach programmes have been instrumental in taking services closer to communities and ensuring that vulnerable citizens are not excluded from accessing their rights, he said.
Molisane said while progress has been made, there remains work to be done, “many ex-mine workers continue to face challenges relating to documentation, historical records, benefit tracing, and access to services. These challenges require a collective response from government, social partners and community stakeholders”.
She said Eastern Cape contributed approximately +370,000 ex-mineworkers to the national total of about +1 million since 1965 alone. This is characterized by a large population of ex-mineworkers from Eastern Cape being exposed to occupational hazards such as silica dust, leading to high rates of tuberculosis (TB), Silicosis, Black Lung, and other occupational lung diseases, occupational diseases, injuries and fatalities, she said.
According to Molisane UIF has been able to pay R16 712 417,44 to 5625 EX-Mine workers since 2019.
The Accounting Officer said South Africa’s mining industry has historically drawn a significant workforce from rural parts of the country, notably the Eastern Cape, resulting in substantial labour migration. Eastern Cape contributed approximately +370,000 ex-mineworkers to the national total of about +1 million since 1965 alone.
She noted that the Thubalethu project is an initiative to rollout services-on-wheels by relevant stakeholders and departments for ex-mineworkers in the Eastern Cape to address unclaimed and unpaid Social Protection Benefits and Occupational Diseases and Injuries claims due to them.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
Email: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za
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