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The South African mining industry recorded
42 fatalities in 2024, the lowest ever recorded. This record achievement
represented an improvement of 24% over the 55 fatalities recorded in 2023 and
outpaced the previous record of 45 fatalities in 2022.
In addition, no disaster-type incidents
were recorded in 2024, compared with one disaster-type accident which occurred
in 2023, where 13 mine employees lost their lives in a conveyance accident in
the platinum group metals (PGM) sector. A disaster-type accident is defined as
one where five or more mineworkers lose their lives in a single incident.
According to Mineral and Petroleum
Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, the record achievement is the result of a
concerted effort by all parties involved to provide and maintain a safe working
environment within the mining industry.
"This collaboration and the
implementation of necessary measures on health and safety throughout the year
have demonstrated that significant improvements in results can be achieved. We,
therefore, commend the collective efforts which have gotten us here and urge
all stakeholders to redouble our efforts to reach the goal of zero harm,"
he said on January 23.
In 2024, 11 fatalities were recorded in the
gold sector, compared with 20 in 2023. This represents a year-on-year
improvement of 45%.
The PGM industry recorded 19 fatalities in
2024, compared with 22 in 2023. This year-on-year improvement of 14% was the
result of improved safety measures being implemented in the sector.
In the coal sector, six fatalities were
recorded in 2024, down from seven in 2023, representing a year-on-year
improvement of 14%.
In other mining categories, six fatalities
were recorded in 2024, which was on par with the six recorded in 2023, showing
no improvement year-on-year. This category included mining operations in the
diamond, chrome, copper, zinc, sand, lime, granite, manganese, nickel and
brick-making sectors, among others.
Mantashe noted that the most significant
progress so far was in the reduction of fatalities from fall-of-ground (FoG)
incidents, machinery and shaft conveyance types of accidents.
FoG categories of accidents reduced by 13%,
from 15 in 2023 to 13 in 2024. In the machinery category, a 67% reduction was
recorded, from six in 2023 to only two in 2024.
Providently, there were no shaft
conveyance-related fatal accidents during 2024, compared with the one
significant incident in 2023 that claimed the lives of 13 mineworkers.
"As part of addressing
transportation-related accidents in mines, we urge all stakeholders to support
and implement collision avoidance systems brought about by the introduction of
new regulations on trackless mobile machinery. The current overall improvement
in the safety performance of all the commodities in the mining sector is
encouraging. However, we must caution the industry that complacency can be
dangerous and must, therefore, be avoided at all costs," Mantashe said.
In terms of occupational injuries, 10 041
occupational injuries were reported in 2024, down from 12 181 reported in 2023.
This translated to a 16% improvement year-on-year.
"Of great concern to us is that most
of these injuries are mainly because of repeat accidents, categorised as FoG,
transportation, mining, and general types of accidents. We, therefore, urge the
employers and labour to be explicit about their respective roles and programmes
for the provision and maintenance of a safe working environment that is free of
risks," the Minister said.
Occupational diseases also decreased by
17%, from 2 233 in 2022 to 1 864 cases in 2023. Much of this progress was
attributed to the manganese, iron, chrome, coal, diamond, copper, and platinum
sectors.
There was a notable decrease in diseases
such as silicosis, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), coal workers' pneumoconiosis
and other diseases.
In 2023, the gold sector reported the
highest number of occupational diseases for both silicosis and pulmonary TB
cases, whereas the PGM sector reported the highest number of noise-induced
hearing loss cases.
Chief Inspector of Mines David Msiza
pointed out that the majority of safety incidents occurred between 10:00 and
12:00. He said this was likely attributable to fatigue and diet, although
further investigations would be carried out to determine the cause of this
phenomenon so that solutions could be found with the respective industry
stakeholders.
Mantashe joked that, if accidents were most
likely to happen during these times, perhaps it was necessary for mines to
implement a mandatory break between 10:00 and 12:00.
However, the phenomenon was noted with
concern since this period is one of peak activity where ample supervision is
supposed to be present.
Msiza noted that, while improvements had
been made in terms of health and safety in South African mines, there remained
an alarming number of contraventions detected by mine inspectors.
He pointed out that a total of 8 865
inspections and audits were conducted during 2023/24 reporting period to
promote and ensure compliance with the legal provisions.
However, Section 54 instructions were
issued on 4 443 transgressions, with 2 222 Section 55 instructions issued
during this period. Section 54 transgressions could lead directly to a loss of
life.
“Our worry is the magnitude of these
transgressions. If we had not revealed them, even 10% to 20% of them, they
might have led to serious accidents,” he noted.
Msiza implored the mining sector to take
greater care in meeting health and safety regulations to continue working
towards a zero-harm goal, rather than relying on the limited number of
qualified inspectors to point out issues.