NUM bemoans spat of mine fatalities

[miningmx.com] — THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Tuesday reported a fatality at Harmony Gold Mining’s Tshepong Mine in the Free State.

The trade union said the mineworker was “crushed by a loco” and brings to two the number of workers who have died at Harmony’s operations in the last week.

In a separate accident, a mineworker lost his life at Simmer and Jack’s Tau Lekoa mine near Klerksdorp, which was until recently owned by AngloGold Ashanti.

The NUM said a female worker was crushed by a loco after being trapped on Sunday at midnight.

Trade union Solidarity on Monday released figures showing that mining fatalities in the first nine months of 2010 dropped by about 26% compared to the same period in 2009.

But the NUM said that although there had been a slight improvement in the number of mineworkers who died to date compared to last year, the figures remain worryingly high.

“If the industry is serious about the target for zero fatality, then over 80 deaths for nine months is a whole lot,” said NUM general secretary Frans Baleni.