The Tshiamiso Trust has reported an increase in claims activity for the 2026 financial year as it moves into the latter half of its lifespan, with claim lodgements having increased by 64% year-on-year to 13 337.

The trust was established to implement the settlement agreement reached between six mining companies – African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater and Gold Fields – and claimant attorneys in the historic silicosis and tuberculosis (TB) class action.

It is responsible for compensating all eligible current and former mineworkers across Southern Africa who have permanent cardiorespiratory impairment owing to silicosis or work-related TB, or their dependants where the mineworker has passed away.

Under the theme “Numbers That Count”, the trust’s results for the year, presented at its AGM, show scale, acceleration and growing operational complexity. 

During the year, the trust conducted 9 486 Benefit Medical Examinations (BMEs) and paid R534-million in compensation to 4 884 eligible claimants.

Cumulatively, the trust has paid R2.53-billion to 26 300 eligible claimants from 156 924 completed lodgements, with a lodgement to payment conversion of 17%.

Claims services were delivered through 42 lodgement centres across South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

The integration of claim lodgement and follow-up support at BME service providers has enabled claimants to access more services at one location and reduced travel requirements.

Outreach during the year focused particularly on Lesotho and the Eastern Cape, where significant claimant populations reside.

“The trust has entered a high-throughput phase in which our ability to deliver at scale, while maintaining fairness, consistency and accountability, is critical. Each claim represents an individual or family seeking recognition and redress, and the integrity of the process is as important as the outcome,” Tshiamiso Trust chairperson Dr May Hermanus pointed out in her report.

Amendments to the Trust Deed approved during the reporting period were said to have improved claims processing and medical certification.

The changes address the treatment of previous TB records, updated lung-function reference values and the assessment of certain silicosis claims where spirometry results are unavailable.

Collectively, the amendments have enabled the trust to resume the assessment of a substantial number of previously deferred claims.

However, the increase in activity has also intensified operational challenges, including contacting claimants in remote and cross-border communities, verifying work histories and obtaining complete supporting and historical medical records, particularly in claims involving deceased mineworkers.

These constraints reinforce the ongoing need for improved data access, operational innovation and stronger stakeholder cooperation.

During the remaining claim-lodgement period, the trust will focus on accelerating outreach, streamlining processing and supporting eligible claimants throughout the claims process.

This will include resolving employment history records affecting processing of claims in Zimbabwe and extending trust services to Malawi for the first time.