Balwa nesifo sofuba ezimayini
ISIFO sofuba sizonqotshwa uma abaqashi bevumela abasebenzi basemgodini ukuthi badle imishanguzo izinyanga eziyisithupha futhi babaholele nyangazonke yize besekhefini lokugula.
Lokhu kushiwo nguDkt Jameson Malemela wemayini iSibanye Stillwaters, obekhuluma esithangamini sengqungquthela yesifo sofuba ebesiseHilton Hotel, eThekwini izolo.
UDkt Malemela uveze ukuthi abasebenzi baseSibanye banikwa ikhefu izinyanga eziyisithupha ngesikhathi bedla imishanguzo kanti lokhu kuyasiza ukuthi bayidle kahle bengajahile ukubuyela emsebenzini.
Uphinde wathi ukuhlolwa kwabasebenzi basezimayini behlolelwa isifo sofuba neHIV kwehlise izinga lokulova emsebenzini ngoba abantu basheshe baqale imishanguzo bangaze bakhandlwe wukugula okuzobalalisa phansi.
“Kuningi esikwenzayo ukuthuthukisa impilo yabasebenzi ngoba bahlala ezindlini ezivulekile ezilungele ukuhlala imindeni. Senza isiqiniseko sokuthi uthuli olubanga i-silicosis okuyisifo esihlasela amaphaphu, siyalunciphisa ukuze abasebenzi bethu baphephe. Siyacela nabasebenzi bahlale ezindaweni ezifanele bangajahi ukufuna uR4 000 ozobasiza ukuthenga izindlu bese beyohlala emjondolo lapho kuba lula khona ukuthi bahlaselwe yisifo sofuba,” kusho uDkt Malemela.
IPhini likaMengameli weMinerals Council of South Africa, uMnuz Andile Sangqu, lithe izimayini zenza konke okusemandleni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokumba igolide nezinye izimbiwa uphephile.
Ubalule ukuthi icala lokuthi uthuli lwasezimayini (silica) lugulisa abantu luzokwenza izimayini zivuke emaqandeni kwazise zizohlawula izisulu ngoR5 billion.
USangqu uthe isifo sofuba sibulala abaningi kanti ngonyaka bahlola u-90% wabasebenzi ukuthi abanaso yini lesi sifo bese bebanika imishanguzo uma benaso.
“Okusizile ukulwa nesifo sofuba ezimayini wukunikeza abasebenzi izindawo zokuhlala ezingcono hhayi ukuthi bambondelane endlini eyodwa, baphinde baholelwe kangcono baholelwe noma besadla imishanguzo,” kusho uSangqu.
UDkt Rodney Ehrlich wesikhungo esicwaninga ngezifo eNyuvesi yaseCape Town, uthe izimayini kufanele zihlawule ngoba uthuli lwezimbiwa ludala isifo sofuba nezinye ezihlasela amaphaphu futhi abasebenzi basezimayini bahlushwa ngamaphaphu noma bengasasebenzi ngenxa yothuli.
Uthe uthuli lwasezimayini ligulisa abasebenzi abangu-250 million emhlabeni jikelele.
IPhini likaNgqongqoshe weziMayini, uMnuz Godfrey Oliphant, ugqqugquzele izimayini ukuthi zihlalise abantu ezindaweni ezifanelekile ngoba ukubahlalisa ezinkompolo ezicinene kwandisa isifo sofuba.
“Sizokwenza konke okusemandleni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abasebenzi banempilo engcono ngokuthi izimayini zimba ngendlela ehlelekile. Siyajabula ukuthi ucwaningo ngobungozi be-silica buyaqhubeka ngoba izimayini kufanele ziyinciphise ukuze abantu bangahlaselwa yisifo sofuba,” kusho u-Oliphant.