Johannesburg - Cosatu has slammed government and Lily Mine management for their inability to gather sufficient resources to recover the bodies of three trapped miners.
The federation on Tuesday accused the mine’s management of being concerned with profits and not the well-being of its workers.
Lily Mine is owned by Vantage Goldfields.
The miners, Solomon Nyerende, Pretty Nkambule and Yvonne Mnisi, were trapped underground when the container they were in collapsed in February.
Cosatu said both government and Lily Mine management have enough resources to recover the bodies without the loss of a rescue plan.
“Both government and the mine management have done nothing so far to convince us that are committed to recovering the workers nor that they care about the safety and well-being of workers,” said Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.
The federation also demanded that the families of the trapped workers be compensated as promised by the Minister of Mineral Resources Mosebenzi Zwane.
It also raised concerns that workers were still not paid their salaries since April.
As a solution, Cosatu has called on President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet to intervene.
“A clear message has to be sent out that the Lily Mine management cannot resume mining activities without putting adequate measures for prevention, early detection and a workable rescue plan in place. Greed cannot be placed above the lives of workers,” said Pamla.
Labour Bureau