Union urges mine to put safety first
"We pledge our commitment to doing everything within our means to embed and improve our safety initiatives"
MBOMBELA – The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) Nkomati branch made their demands known to Nkomati Mine managers during a recent celebration of 365 days without lost time injury (LTI).
Mr Bonga Ngobeni, NUM branch chairperson in health and safety, made a clarion call to the mine to do a feasibility study as far as silicon is concerned and to put in place measures to combat occupational diseases which usually catch up with ex-miners years after mines had closed.
“We had previously established the mine’s health and safety committee to ensure that certain building blocks were put in place in order to achieve the 365 days milestone we are celebrating today. We also urged employees to follow our safety campaigns on a monthly basis as well as our health and safety slogans which is to stop, think and act accordingly,” added Ngobeni.
He told employees they were all responsible for their own safety at the mine and had a right to leave a dangerous area at any time. Union members also urged mines to empower local, black-owned small businesses.
“As a Num branch here, we are calling on the Nkomati Mine to empower local SMMEs, and the mine must still improve in terms of training junior employees for senior positions in the fields of engineering and supervisors,” added Num secretary, Mr Makhosonkhe Magudulela.
He also called on the mine to ensure that the transition of MCC to Moolman Contractors should not affect employees.
Nkomati Mine’s manager, Mr Mandla Nxumalo, assured the union and mine workers that the mine was doing all in its power in making sure that the issue of did not affect employees in the long-run.
“True to our commitment to the safety of our employees, we have implemented a number of initiatives to ensure that we operate in a safe environment.
“We care, we grow and we excel,” said Nxumalo.
He added that the mine was recognised in the 2013 financial year by the Mine Health and Safety Council of South Africa when it achieved a fourth place for improvement on total injuries in the base-metals section.
“We pledge our commitment to doing everything within our means to embed and improve our safety initiatives,” concluded Nxumalo.
