JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has expressed concern about the number of fatalities occurring in the mining industry, after an employee at Exxaro’s Matla mine Shaft 2, Sibongiseni Majozi, was killed in a conveyor belt-related incident on Tuesday.
"We are concerned that these fatalities are increasing unnecessarily. There were 13 fatal accidents last year January to February 17, and this year we are already sitting at 18,” said NUM health and safety secretary Eric Gcilitshana.
The union demanded an immediate, thorough investigation by both the departments of Labour and Mineral Resources to establish the causes of these accidents, calling for strong disciplinary action against anyone found to have been negligent.
Exxaro said that the Department of Mineral Resources and Matla mine management were currently conducting an on-site inspection and a full investigation would start in due course.