Mines minister still hopes to have benefits laws streamlined this fiscal year
LEGISLATION providing for the merger of statutes that provide benefits for occupational diseases may be in force by March 2017.Various government departments are working with mining houses to create a master database of former mineworkers who are owed billions of rand in unclaimed benefits, Mineral Resources Deputy Minister Godfrey Oliphant said on Friday.She said it was still hoped that legislation to address a problematic compensation system for mineworkers would be in force by the end of the 2016-17 financial year.Benefits for occupational lung diseases are among the provisions of this legislation.The Department of Health has already developed a database covering the health records of to an estimated 700,000 mineworkers.“To enrich the database we have started discussions with the Chamber of Mineworker to (include) 500,000 current mineworkers,” Oliphant said at a briefing in Pretoria on Friday.“Currently there are R30bn in unclaimed benefits. A substantial portion is for mineworke...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.