Digging himself a hole

MINERAL Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane was quick to raise the hopes of families affected by the Lily Mine disaster of six months ago, when a container at the mine was swallowed by the earth. Three people lost their lives in the disaster and 900 workers have been languishing without pay, and scant compensation, ever since.

The families of the deceased, Zwane told a press conference on February 13, would each be paid R200 000, while the workers who were brought out alive would receive R50 000 each. The money would be paid by the miner, Vantage Goldfields. The company is now in business rescue, which has placed the future of the mine, and those who relied on it for their livelihood, in jeopardy.

Perhaps it’s hardly that surprising that the minister’s promise to the families has come to naught, and they are left to grieve the loss of their loved ones without the compensation which would have gone some way towards salving their pain.

Not only has the money not been forthcoming, but Zwane has further compounded the tragedy by his insistence that the container with the remains of the three miners be brought back to the surface, which would cost in the region of R130-million.

Patently, this additional cost has further put off investors, and the matter has hardly been helped by Zwane’s decreeing that no mining can be done without the container being retrieved.

This seems an unreasonable condition to make, especially in a situation where the families are battling to make ends meet.

This week, Zwane’s spokesman claimed he was too busy with electioneering to comment, adding: “At no point did the minister make a commitment to make a payment.”

One doubts that Zwane will be looking for votes in Barberton, though.