Focus more on safety than profits‚ union tells mine bosses after miner killed in rockfall

28 September 2017 - 19:05 By Timeslive
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Our hearts are with the families of the workers who lose their lives under the brutality of rocks in the mines‚" said Peter Bailey‚ NUM Health and Safety Chairperson.
Our hearts are with the families of the workers who lose their lives under the brutality of rocks in the mines‚" said Peter Bailey‚ NUM Health and Safety Chairperson.
Image: BLOOMBERG via GETTY IMAGES

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called on mining companies to invest more money on protecting the lives of workers instead of focusing more on profits following the death of another mineworker.

The union said that a mineworker had been killed in a rockfall at Impala Platinum number 20 shaft on Thursday.

"This takes the mining industry fatalities to about 63 fatalities from January to date. We call for a debate on Health and Safety by captains of the mining industry‚ trade unions‚ and the government is more urgent than before to discuss the rate of fatalities and injuries in mines.

Inspectors must conduct unmanned audits in this mine and workers must refuse to work in an unsafe work environment. Our hearts are with the families of the workers who lose their lives under the brutality of rocks in the mines‚" said Peter Bailey‚ NUM Health and Safety Chairperson.

He said NUM was deeply concerned about fatalities occurring at Impala Platinum.

“We call upon the company to pull up its socks and improve its health and safety system. NUM members and other mineworkers are extremely worried about health and safety standards at Impala Platinum mine.

“We call upon the mining companies to invest more money in protecting the lives of workers than focusing more on profits. Mineworkers cannot be sacrificed for profits‚” Bailey said.

“We call upon the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to trigger its investigation to the cause of this tragic incident and as the NUM‚ we will participate in the investigation to leave no stone unturned. Those found responsible for negligence must be prosecuted‚” he added.

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