Various mining-affiliated parties met on January 28 to discuss efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and to help the mining industry, its employees and mining-affected communities to tackle the challenge.
Representatives from Minerals Council South Africa, as well as trade unions the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, the National Union of Mineworkers, Solidarity and UASA, participated in the meeting.
Stemming from the meeting, the parties' joint message is that only through collaboration can the industry, and the nation as a whole, succeed in overcoming the pandemic, saving lives and livelihoods.
All parties have, to date, been actively involved in managing the adverse impacts of Covid-19 in numerous ways and have committed to collaborate to ensure that Covid-19 vaccines are secured and efficiently rolled out to employees and host communities where possible.
They also discussed the issue of the spread of misinformation impairing voluntary and informed decision-making and participation, which undermines the effort to get as many people as possible to avail themselves for vaccinations.