CAPE TOWN – Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Thursday that the death-toll increase in mining accidents was a serious concern, adding that the department's Council for Geoscience (CGS) and other stakeholders were paying special attention into seismicity.
Since the beginning of 2018, a total of 33 fatalities have been reported in the South African mining industry.
"The CGS has undertaken detailed dolomite stability and susceptibility investigations for housing infrastructure development, in the Northern Cape Province, with the specific intention to reduce infrastructure damages arising from geo-hazards associated with the extensive occurrence of dolomite" he said.
"In this regard, it is worth noting the improvements in health and safety, that is, an 11 percent decrease in the number of injuries in 2017, as well as a 29 percent reduction in the number of occupational diseases reported. "
Mantashe reiterated that the department will host the mine health and safety summit in November to assess progress made in attaining the industry's objective of "zero harm", and to chart a way forward.