The Congress of South African Trade Unions is calling on the South African government to take seriously the mine accidents that are killing and injuring hundreds of workers every day. We are angered by the government’s failure to confront the mining sector and deal decisively with companies like Sibanye –Stillwater that are slaughtering the workers with impunity. Sibanye-Stilllwater remains the most dangerous company to work for in this country and is the biggest culprit when it comes to mine accidents and killings.

The latest accident that has left four mineworkers dead at Kloof Ikamva Shaft is a reminder of this company’s negligence and unrestrained greed. We are troubled to hear that these workers were forced to venture into an old part of the mine that was not safe by the management. Government should investigate and prosecute the Sibanye Stillwater management for their reckless endangerment of workers

The CEO of Sibanye Stillwater and the entire top management need to be held personally liable for the death of the workers in the mine. They all need to be prosecuted and sent to prison.

The Sibanye-Stillwater management is not different from the thugs that are responsible for cash in transit heists. Like these criminals and thugs ,they are also driven by insatiable greed and total disregard for human life.

We are calling for the Departments of Labour and Mineral Resources to stop watching from the sidelines while the workers are being maimed and killed by the mining sector’s poor safety standards. The current administration is very generous to mining firms and this is the reason why they are retrenching and killing workers without any care in the world.

Issued by COSATU

Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)

Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794