Cape Town – An inter-ministerial committee (IMC) in charge of revitalising the country’s mining towns was making progress with billions of rand already having been earmarked for several projects, the presidency said on Tuesday.
“Overall, R18 billion has been dedicated to ongoing work in distressed mining communities, benefiting the following provinces: Eastern Cape; Free State; Gauteng; KwaZulu-Natal; Limpopo; Mpumalanga and North West,” a statement from the President’s office said.
“The bulk of this funding is from government, with mining companies contributing approximately a third of the funding. “
President Jacob Zuma appointed the IMC shortly after the Marikana massacre in which over 34 miners were shot dead by police during labour unrest at the Lonmin mines in the North West town.
The department of human settlement ringfenced over R419 million in the 2014 financial year for upgrading informal settlement in mining towns in Limpopo, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West.
“Overall, over 7 000 units have been delivered in the mining towns,” the statement said.
For the current financial year, R1 billion would be ringfenced for government’s plan to build 19,000 houses.
Two of the housing projects were in Marikana where about 500 houses would be built on land donated by Lonmin.
The department’s housing agencies would set aside another R1 billion for bridge financing and loans for miners.
The department, in conjunction with the labour and mineral resources departments (DMR), were also implementing measures to improve the working conditions of mine workers, the presidency added.
“The departments…are working towards alignment of the industry’s occupational health and safety policy and the required legislative changes to facilitate ease of compensation and other benefits towards an enhanced social protection system.”
The compensation system would be reorganised to ensure current and former miners benefited.
The DMR was tasked with improving mine inspections and audits.
“To date, the DMR has given additional focus on enforcement and inspections through 40 regional medical inspectors, analysis of annual medical reports from the mines’ provision of standards on workplace exposures, implementing inspection and audit tools for occupational health services, promotion of occupational health in the mining industry and engaging in reviewing research relevant to occupational medicine in the mining industry.”
Zuma’s office said the President was making good on his promise in the State-of-the-Nation address to launch a mining version of Operation Phakisa – the integrated delivery system in the health and oceans economy sectors.
“To date the Presidency has engaged in more than 15 consultative meetings with the CEOs of mining companies, representatives of civil society and national office bearers of labour unions and there is overwhelming support for the Phakisa process,” the statement said.
“We are determined, together with our stakeholders, to steer the mining industry towards increased investment, growth and transformation whilst being mindful of the social, environmental and health impacts on our people in mining towns and labour sending areas.”
ANA