Congress of South African Trade Unions ‘shocked’ at death of illegal miners

Andrew's Note: It is believed racketeers have lured workers from Lesotho and other countries to go to South Africa to work illegally underground where they often live below the surface for months at a time. This is a crime born out of poverty and desperation on the part of unemployed workers in Lesotho who are exploited by capitalist racketeers


2009/06/02
http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=429324

THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) today (June 2) said it was “shocked and dismayed” by the news of the death of 36 illegal miners.

Harmony Gold Mining (HAR), South Africa’s third-largest gold producer, yesterday said the bodies of 36 illegal miners were brought to surface by fellow illegal miners at its Eland shaft in the Free State during the weekend.

The miners reportedly lost their lives following an underground fire in an abandoned area of the mine.

“Our affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers, is monitoring the situation, and we demand a full investigation into this shocking situation,” Cosatu said.

In the meantime, trade union Solidarity has called for the Department of Mining must put together a task team to investigate illegal mining in South Africa.

“Not only are the illegal miners stealing gold worth millions of rands, but the ensuing accidents are always very severe,” said Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans.

This is not the first time the remains of illegal miners have been found in the Eland shaft.

Two weeks ago five bodies were recovered and in 2007, 25 illegal miners died in a similar underground fire.

This is also the second accident of its kind this year, after 20 illegal miners died at the New Consort gold mine near Barberton in March.

The deaths are over and above the 73 fatalities reported by South African mining companies so far this year.

“A task team consisting of all the role-players must urgently look at the problem. It is a grey area that nobody wants to touch,” said Kleynhans.

He said coordination between the various government departments, such as the Department of Mining, Department of Justice, the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Police Service must also improve if any progress is to be made in the fight against this problem.

Harmony yesterday said it had also charged and will criminally prosecute 294 illegal miners who were brought to surface at the shaft over the past two weeks.

The gold producer said it has tightened security.

“We continue to address the issue of criminal mining on a daily basis, together with the South African Police Service, the Department of Justice, the National Prosecuting Authority and other affected mining companies,” said Harmony CEO Graham Briggs.