50% of mining employees back at work

Buffalo Coal, one of the area’s largest employers, has re-started mining operations.
Fifty percent of the workers have been permitted to return in terms of the level 4 Disaster Regulations.
Chief Executive Officer Emma Oosthuizen said the ‘safety, health and well-being of our employees, their families, contractors and communities in which we operate remains our primary concern.’

“The company has developed and implemented various risk-based mitigating measures, including: transport arrangements for employees from their homes to place of work; and rigorous screening, testing and data collection programmes for all employees and contractors accessing the mining operation.”

In addition, she said that to mitigate the effects of the lockdown on the operation, the company had arranged for certain employees to work from home.

“There are quarantine facilities for employees who may test positive for Covid-19. Due to the uncertainty regarding the expected timeline for the lifting of restrictions and the impact of any potential Covid-19 infections to any of the company’s employees, the company has, since the extension of the national lockdown on April 17, implemented a ‘no work, no pay’ policy for those employees whose services cannot be utilised.

“Consultations have been initiated with the various trade unions to identify and investigate alternatives to alleviate the financial strain that the implemented policy will have on affected employees.

“The company will continue to proactively measure and manage potential impacts of the Disaster Management Regulations and amendments thereto on the company’s operations.
“Further updates will be communicated to the company’s various stakeholders as new information becomes available,” she said.

Related story:

Buffalo Coal puts mining operations on lockdown

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