Video used in London to back gold miners’ case
THE plight of former gold miners – many from the Eastern Cape – who suffer from the respiratory disease silicosis was highlighted in a video presentation at the annual meeting of mining giant Anglo American in London this week.
The video can be seen on YouTube and features the backing track Stimela, with permission of music legend Hugh Masekela, as well as photographic portraits of miners suffering from silicosis taken by award-wining photographer Hein du Plessis.
It is endorsed by the UK’s Leigh Day public interest law firm which is representing 4 400 former gold miners as well as Action for Southern South Africa (formerly the Anti-Apartheid Movement) and the SA National Union of Mineworkers.
Speaking from London, Leigh Day human rights lawyer Richard Meeran said “a significant proportion” of these miners were from the Transkei.
“I would say at least one-third of the men who worked on the Free State mines were from the Eastern Cape,” Meeran said.
They are among ex-miners claiming damages from Anglo American South Africa Ltd for their illness, which they say is due to negligence by the firm in failing to control dust exposure at the Anglo American group prior to 1998.
Silicosis increases the risk of contracting TB and the combination of the two diseases is often fatal.
Meeran said silicosis had a 10- to 15-year latency period from the time of exposure. “This means a large proportion contracted the disease after they went back to their homes.”
The miners were entitled to a medical examination every two years, according to the Mines and Works Act, in order to establish whether they were suffering from diseases like silicosis.
But Meeran said: “The problem is few of the miners had access to these examinations and because they were not diagnosed, they were not compensated – although a clinic has very belatedly opened in Mthatha in the last few weeks and it can carry out these examinations.
“If a claimant dies before a certain point, the family cannot claim pain and suffering compensation, therefore delays in the justice system deprive ex-miners and their widows of vast sums of money.”
Meeran says that while the maximum amount of compensation according to statuary law is R115 000, compensation awarded through the courts – the process in which he is involved – could be in excess of that, depending on how much pain and suffering was caused and the amount of medical expenses incurred.