THE National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has applauded what it calls two historic court rulings in favour of "super-exploited mineworkers".In the one case‚ the South Gauteng High Court has ruled that 17‚000 former mineworkers and their dependents can institute a class action against the mine owners for compensation for the effects of silicosis and tuberculosis contracted while they worked in the mines.Human rights lawyer Richard Spoor estimates that as many as 100‚000 affected people could be entitled to claim and‚ if successful‚ they could receive R10bn.In the second case‚ the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein dismissed an appeal by five directors of mining company Aurora Empowerment Systems.The company‚ whose directors include President Jacob Zuma’s nephew Khulubuse Zuma and former president Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zondwa Mandela‚ assumed control of the Pamodzi group’s East Rand and Orkney gold mines in 2009 when the mines’ owner, Pamodzi Gold, was placed in provis...
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