Miners in health fund talks
Six large South African mining companies aim to recompense workers made ill by inhaling silica dust
Six large South African mining companies could reach a settlement soon with thousands of workers made ill by working underground in gold mines in past decades, avoiding a lengthy court battle over compensation, said Graham Briggs, chairman of the occupational lung disease working group. The group, which comprises Anglo American SA, AngloGold Ashanti, African Rainbow Minerals, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye Gold, is working hard with lawyers representing claimants in the class action lawsuit, unions and the departments of mineral resources, health and labour to find an out-of-court settlement. The collaboration of the three departments, the six companies, unions and lawyers to find a settlement gave rise to optimism that a settlement could be reached this year, said Briggs, the former Harmony CE. "We don’t have a solution on the table yet, but I’m optimistic we are going to get there this year." The mining firms will set up a legacy fund to compensate workers made ill by inhaling s...
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