CEO REACTS TO REPORT
Liquidation of Blyvooruitzicht mine holds lessons for fate of workers
Gaps between mining and environmental legislation, Companies Act and liquidation legislation need plugging, writes Niël Pretorius
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) recently released a study report, Blyvooruitzicht Mine Village: the human toll of state and corporate abdication of responsibility in SA. To quote from the report’s introduction: "This study documents and analyses the impacts of the initiation of insolvency proceedings and sudden cessation of the [Blyvooruitzicht] Mine’s operations on the human rights of the surrounding village community, and in particular, on the residents’ right to development, to an environment not harmful to their health and wellbeing, and to adequate housing." In the wake of the release of the report, as CEO of DRDGold, a previous operator of Blyvoor, and as a current Blyvoor trustee, some personal observations may provide a wider perspective to the issue and assist in bringing about a sustainable solution, not only for Blyvoor but for all other South African mines facing liquidation in future. What the Blyvoor experience ha...
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