THE Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) said it was “truly elated” after winning a case last week compelling the mining companies to impose even tighter guidelines on how they protect employees from COVID-19.
“Now the lives and livelihoods of mineworkers can be protected,” AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa was quoted by Reuters to have said.
South Africa, the world’s largest platinum, manganese and chrome ore producer which has recorded 6,336 cases of the coronavirus, of whom 123 have died, is letting its mines run at half-capacity during a national lockdown, said Reuters.
But AMCU filed the court action to demand national safety standards for mines, including sanitisation procedures and minimum level of protective gear, before they go back to work.
The miners fear being infected because social distancing is near impossible inside deep mine shafts, said Reuters.
Workers in deep mines in Peru have also pushed back against returning to work without adequate protective gear and proper information about cases at sites.
Such resistance could also spread to Chile, Burkina Faso, the United States and other countries, where mine workers are making similar demands.
The Minerals Council said last week that its underground mines would be unable to reach 50% of production as set down in government guidelines by May.
“It takes time to ramp up,” said Tebello Chabana, executive director at the council. “The majority of underground mines will not be able to reach 50% of production by the end of this month,” he said.
