Sibanye admits to lapse in safety

By comparison, greater Johannesburg averaged 14.29 weeks and Tshwane 11.07 weeks for the same two quarters.

Loos said they subjectively believed the national housing market was in equilibrium in terms of the demand and supply of housing when the average time a house remained on the market before being sold was about 12 weeks or close to three months.

He said the market had drifted away from this equilibrium level up until the final quarter of last year to reach an average time on the market before being sold of 17 weeks and two days.

Loos said the improvement in the first quarter went hand-in-hand with a jump in market activity, which appeared to be a “Ramaphoria-related” jump, which was something they saw briefly in national business confidence, too.

However, this excitement appeared to have largely dissipated, he said. SIBANYE Stillwater admitted yesterday that the substantial regression of safe working conditions underground at its operations was unacceptable, and committed to restoring and improving safety.

A memorial service was held for five mineworkers who died from gas and heat exposure at Sibanye’s Kloof Ikamva mine after they entered an abandoned shaft last week.

The Department of Mineral Resources has tasked the acting chief inspector of mines to probe Sibanye’s safety standards as 20 of 45 mineworkers have died at the company’s operations since February .

Neal Froneman, Sibanye chief executive, said the company was “appalled” by the loss of their workers at its mines over the past few months.

“The safety of employees is our primary concern and, if it is not safe to operate, we expect conditions to be fixed before work can resume. There is substantial evidence that well-organised workplaces are both safe and productive, and that is our aim.” – African News Agency (ANA)