JOHANNESBURG – Labour federation Congress of South African Trade Unions and the National Union of Mineworkers will picket at the chamber of mines on Thursday to demand action against what they call deteriorating safety standards in the industry.
In a statement, NUM said more than 33 people had been killed in the mining sector since the start of the year.
"The NUM invites all workers to join this picket and make it clear to the chamber of mines that their insatiable greed creates widows and orphans," it said.
The chamber of mines represents companies in the industry, which unions frequently accuse of pursuing profits at the expense of workers' safety. The companies deny the charge.
NUM said a memorial service would be held for seven mineworkers killed last week after a seismic event at Sibanye-Stillwater's Masakhane shaft in Driefontein.
In a separate statement, NUM said it would hold a mass meeting at Evander gold mine in Mpumalanga on Wednesday after the company decided to retrench 1,722 mineworkers.