https://www.miningweekly.com

South Africa's mining industry records 527 positive Covid-19 cases, 72 recoveries

4th June 2020

By: Donna Slater

Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

     

Font size: - +

The Minerals Council South Africa, in its third weekly Covid-19 update briefing on June 4, reported that, to date, the domestic mining industry has 527 positive cases of Covid-19, with 7 461 miners having been tested and 226 796 having been screened.

The mining industry has also reported 72 recoveries, with no Covid-19-related deaths, the council's head of health Thuthula Balfour says.

The gold sector accounts for 303 cases, platinum for 158 and coal 13. Other commodities account for 53 cases.

She highlights that the issue of those more susceptible to Covid-19 is increasingly coming to the fore as the mining industry gears to return to work 100% of their workforces, following a protracted period of lockdown and workforce restrictions.

However, because of influential factors that need to be taken into account, such as age and comorbidities, Balfour says not all companies will be able to bring in 100% of their employees.

Regarding how to deal with vulnerable employees, she points out that the Minerals Council has issued guidelines on its website that mining companies can use to help them deal with vulnerable people.

Another factor that will affect the immediate return to work of some employees is the requirement of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy that people coming from Covid-19 epicentres need to be quarantined for 14 days before they are allowed to fully return to work.

There are also issues around increasing testing and calls that every miner be tested. However, Balfour states that the country is facing a shortage of testing kits, as is the rest of the world, and therefore it is impossible to test every mining employee at this stage of the pandemic.

As at June 3, a total of 785 979 tests have been conducted in South Africa. She explains that the mining industry employs about 450 000, and that this would account for more than half of the national tests done to date.

“This is why we are prudent with our testing and we are currently emphasising screening.”

RETURN OF SADC EMPLOYEES

A sizable number of mine employees come from other Southern Africa Development Community countries, including Lesotho and Mozambique, and need to be brought back to South Africa as mines ramp up to 100% of workforces.

The number of foreign national employees has decreased over the years, and is currently about 10% of the national mining workforce.

Minerals Council environment, health and legacies senior executive Nikisi Lesufi says that although not all employees returned to their home countries before the lockdown, a concerted effort was required to safely and legally bring those who did go home back into South Africa so that the necessary screening, quarantine and on-boarding of them could take place.

“In light of the fact that foreigners are not allowed to enter South Africa during lockdown, some council members approached the council for help in a dispensation that would allow for the return of foreign workers from their home countries,” he says.

The council subsequently engaged the national Department of Health (DoH) to look at the conditions under which the return of foreign mine workers could be undertaken.

Key among these conditions, as stipulated by the DoH is that the matter cannot be handled on a company-by-company basis and that the council must take responsibility for the coordination and facilitation of the return of these employees.

“Foreign national workers have played an important role in the mining industry for many decades, and their employment in South Africa is a critical component of the gross domestic product of their home countries,” states Lesufi.

The number of foreign mine workers registered with the Minerals Council is about 44 500. However, as the council is preparing to bring these employees back into South Africa, he notes that only 9 500 employees from council member companies have been listed as requiring assistance to return to South Africa.

“The return of the foreign employees will take place under very strict conditions, with some aspects awaiting finalisation with the Department of Health,” says Lesufi.

Subsequently, a screening process will be undertaken in the home countries of these employees in collaboration with the health authorities in these labour-sending areas to identify wards and districts of low or high infections.

Those who fail the screening process will be referred to the local health authorities for further case management in collaboration with the companies concerned.

In terms of border clearance, he says the council has written a letter to the border authorities, the consulates and the embassies involved with these foreign workers to ensure there will be a smooth process in returning the foreign mine workers through emigration processes.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION