Inter-Ministerial Committee on payment of ex-mineworkers for occupational lung diseases

A record number of 1 203 payments were made in March 2018 to compensate ex-mineworkers for occupational lung diseases, amounting to R18.2 million. This represents the highest number of payments in a month since the commencement of the tracking and tracing process. This achievement would not have been possible without the support and cooperation from industry stakeholders and ex-mineworkers.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the Special Presidential Package for the Revitalisation of Distressed Mining Communities and Labour-Sending Areas was established in 2012, in accordance with the 2012 Social Accord signed by organised labour, business and government. 

The IMC provides cross departmental support and coordination across the sector departments and spheres of government to ensure that the sustainable development objectives of South Africa’s mineral policy are achieved to steer the mining industry towards a sustainable development trajectory.

The IMC addresses socio-economic challenges in mining towns and in labour-sending areas. Focusing on the four key outcomes, namely: (a) Integrated and sustainable human settlements; (b) Improved socio-economic conditions; (c) Improved working conditions of mineworkers and improving mine community health (d) Decent living conditions for mineworkers and meaningful contribution to the development trajectory of mining towns and labour-sending areas.

Mineworkers operate under challenging working conditions, which exposes them to numerous occupational diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), silicosis, pneumoconiosis diseases and injuries with inadequate compensation given, especially to ex-mineworkers. These diseases have created unhealthy conditions in mining communities and labour-sending areas where people are born, grow, work, live and age, thus influencing a wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of their daily lives.

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