Programme Director
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Leadership of Organised Labour
Office bearers of Organised Business
Captains of the Mining Industry
Executives of private and public institutions
Members of Tripartite structures
Members of the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Background
It is indeed both a pleasure and privilege to be among you on this significant occasion of the 2014 Mine Health and Safety Tripartite Summit. This summit also comes at a time when we observe the 16 days of activism of no violence against women and children.
I am confident that this Summit will provide us with an opportunity to further engage in dialogue that seeks to accelerate our journey to “zero harm” – where every worker will return from work unharmed every day. It has been over a decade since stakeholders first met to set targets for occupational health and safety milestones for the mining sector to improve the performance of health and safety in the sector. It will be important
for us to note what has been achieved thus far, and to accelerate progress in areas which may still be lagging behind.
The Summit coincides with our celebration of 20 years of freedom and democracy as a country. We also pay tribute to the millions of workers who fought for a truly democratic South Africa. We salute the many who sacrificed so much so that all South Africans could enjoy this fundamental right.
It has also been 18 years since the introduction of the Mine Health and Safety Act. Our gathering today is also a reminder of the many challenges that still confront workers in our sector – and which remain obstacles to sustainable human development and meaningful transformation of this important sector in the South African economy.
About a hundred years ago Sol Plaatjie, the first Secretary General of the African National Congress, describing the lives of mineworkers said the following: “Two hundred thousand subterranean heroes who, by day and by night, for a mere pittance, lay down their lives to the familiar ‘fall of rock’ and who, at deep levels, ranging from 1000 to 3000 feet in the bowels of the earth, sacrifice their lungs to the rock dust which develops miners’ phthisis (silicosis) and pneumonia.”
Regrettably, since Plaatjie’s observation, a significant number of mineworkers have continued to perish and seriously injured as a result of accidents in the mining sector. It is also estimated that many more lost their lives as a result of tuberculosis, silicosis and other poor health conditions at the mines.
Today we also commemorate and honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in mining-related incidents. We should continue acknowledging the important role that these heroes and heroines have played in shaping the economy of this country and their efforts should not be in vain.
In this regard, the National Union of Mineworkers has recently brought to our attention a grave site in the Evander area in the Mpumalanga province, where about a thousand mineworkers were buried during the apartheid era. We are informed that the names and origin of almost all the workers are unknown. They were merely identified by a number on a plate, and their working equipment - including helmets and gumboots - placed on top of their graves.
Unbelievably, these mineworkers were literally buried just at the doorstep of their hostels and everyday they had a window-view of where they may sadly end up! These are but some of the painful and undignified acts which our people used to suffer in the past, which we have worked tirelessly to reverse in the past two decades.
The department is collaborating with the tripartite stakeholders, through the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC), to ensure that the memory of these and other mineworkers, lives on. Distinguished guests, I am sure you would agree with me that workers are not merely statistics. They are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who were entrusted to the industry, as healthy individuals. Hence the theme of this Summit:
“Every mine worker returning from work unharmed every day-striving for zero harm”. Their loved ones rightly expect them home free off diseases and injury.
Policy reform and Summit objectives
We have travelled quite a long and challenging road to overturn the legacy of apartheid on the health and safety of mineworkers. In May 1994, former State President, the late Dr Nelson Mandela, who himself was a former mineworker, appointed the Leon Commission of Inquiry to conduct a comprehensive review of the state of health and safety on the mines, and provide recommendations.
The now repealed Minerals Act focused predominantly on safety issues in the mining industry with no emphasis on promoting the occupational health of miners. This deficiency provided the impetus for the Commission to recommend, amongst others, the drafting of a new Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996 (“MHSA”), which came into effect in January 1997.
It is our national duty to develop and implement policies and legislation that rightfully recognises the value of the life of each one of the almost 500 000 mineworkers we have today. It is also our collective responsibility to eliminate the scourge of silicosis and noise-induced hearing loss, including all forms of lifestyle diseases and tuberculosis, exacerbated by HIV/Aids. Occupational health and safety in the mining sector continue to be
a major concern, and as such mitigation measures require a multi-pronged approach. A substantial blend of preventive measures, organisational interventions, and educational programmes is required to bring about a culture change in the workplace - for workers and management alike. Of course, the department’s focused inspections and audits will be a critical and complementary component of our systematic approach, to ensure the ultimate goal of zero harm is realised.
We also have to focus on research, research promotion and building capacity on health and safety, and I am pleased that we have worked hard as stakeholders to take a major step on this matter in the form of the Centre of Excellence which will be launched during the Gala Dinner today. This concept gives practical implementation to Chapter 9 of the National Development Plan (NDP), which relates to improving Education, Training and Innovation. The Centre of Excellence will conduct occupational health and safety research and facilitate the implementation of research outcomes for the mining sector. It will furthermore improve the empowerment of mineworkers through the provision of training.
Our objectives as we gather here over the next two days are also in line with the National Development Plan (NDP) and Government’s imperative of ensuring that the health and working conditions of workers are significantly improved. It is also aligned to the objects of the Mine Health and Safety Act, which seek to protect the health and safety of workers at mines.
During these two days we will be reviewing our performance against the health and safety milestones set in 2003 and collectively chart the way forward to further promote the culture of occupational health and safety towards zero harm in the mining sector.
In supporting the call to zero harm, my department has also in the recent past conducted both the Presidential and Ministerial Audits at mines to establish compliance levels on the management of challenges caused by silicosis, noise-induced hearing loss, falls of ground and trackless mobile machinery.
Consistent with the department’s legislative mandate and against the backdrop of a number of challenges facing the sector, in 2013 we engaged all stakeholders on the proposed Mine Health and Safety Bill amendments. These amendments are aimed at ensuring that mineworkers in this country work in a safe and sustainable environment at all times.
The department has since received and considered stakeholder inputs in the draft amendment Bill. This includes, amongst others, the issue of protective clothing for women – we have seen an increase in the number of women employed in the mining industry over the past twenty years, which has necessitated some changes in the way the sector has previously done things. Mining, at both the boardroom and mineworker level, is no longer the domain of only men, and this must be reflected in policy and practice.
The department continues to be greatly concerned about the health and safety of women workers including the inhumane treatment by fellow workers in some of the underground workplaces. Such practices don’t belong to the South African mining industry and we need to take appropriate measures to ensure that women work in a safe and dignified environment.
Training and Skills Development
Ladies and gentlemen, the issue of skills development remains critical for the advancement and sustainability of the mining industry into the future. Working with the Mining Qualification Authority (MQA) and the Department of Higher Education and Training we have been placing bursars, interns and students atvarious universities and companies so that they can form part of the professionals in training for future engineers, environmental scientists, as well as surveyors who can help considerably in boosting the internal capacity of the department. MQA and the Centre of Excellence will be collaborating to build capacity of the workers in, amongst others, health safety and workers development.
Health and Safety Statistics
Indeed South Africa is far better today than it was before our democracy. You will recall that in the period before 1994, the mining industry used to report astronomically high fatalities, injuries and occupational diseases. For instance, during 1993 there were 615 workers who lost their lives and 8 515 were injured as a result of mine accidents. Since the dawn of democracy, there has been a downward trend of fatalities and injuries, with the mining sector recording the lowest fatalities ever of 93 during 2013.
Although there has been a significant improvement, it is of great concern that the loss of life of workers as a result of accidents is still continuing, mainly in the gold and platinum mines. Rockfall, transport and most recently fire accidents are still the major causes of death in the sector. We should together continue implementing appropriate measures including the timely adoption of research outcomes and leading practices to ensure that all workers return from work unharmed every day. The loss of just one life is one too many.
On the other hand, although occupational health management systems continue to make an important contribution to the protection of workers from hazards and the elimination of workrelated illness, the number of occupational diseases including silicosis, noise-induced hearing loss and pulmonary TB are still excessively high.
It is reported that South Africa has the third highest number of cases for TB in the world, after India and China. Approximately 1% of the South African population develops TB every year. The sector needs to collectively implement better measures to contribute towards attainment of the National Strategic Plan on TB and HIV/AIDS.
Also, despite more than a century since modern mining commenced in our country, mineworkers who have been incapacitated by ill health and disability are still sent home with meagre compensation, which results in their continued suffering, leaving their dependants with no hope for the future. The mining sector should be involved in improving the compensation system and the rehabilitation of workers who have been incapacitated and also provide assistance to such workers.
In addition, the industry is increasingly faced with illegal mining challenges that tend to also negatively impact on the safety of not only the illegal miners themselves, but also on workers in operational mines. The department will continue to collaborate with the relevant law enforcement agencies and social partners to ensure that illegal mining activities are ultimately eradicated.
Conclusion
We further acknowledge the critical role that the organised labour, business and media continue to play in raising awareness on health and safety issues.
As I move towards conclusion, I would like to thank the Mine Health and Safety Council, Organised Labour, Organised Business and Government, for ensuring that the arrangement and co-ordination of this watershed gathering is a success.
The health and safety of our mineworkers remains a collective effort. It is a responsibility that all of us in this room share, and we must continue to give it the dedicated attention and focus it deserves. While I am pleased with the progress made through our collaboration in improving the health and safety of mineworkers, I would like to challenge the tripartite stakeholders to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the new milestones which will be set during this Summit are achieved, so that we can sustainably achieve our goal of zero harm.
I thank you.
