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 Press statement, 16 August 2018

 

NUM MEDIA STATEMENT ON ITS RESPONSE TO SIBANYE STILLWATER HEALTH AND SAFETY STATUS

 

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) met with the Department of Mineral`s (DMR) Parliamentary Portfolio Committee (PPC) today on the 16th August 2018 in Johannesburg. The objective of the meeting was to present to the PPC, on its concerns regarding Sibanye Stillwater`s health and safety performance and the culture of the company that impacts on its health and safety performance. This presentation will assist the committee to enhance its functions in addressing mining challenges.

The NUM has been engaging the DMR PPC since the lodging of the complaint is addressed to the PPC on Sibanye Stillwater`s leadership on addressing health and safety related matters. The meetings held with the committee will continue to seek to ensure that a healthy and safe environment prevails in Sibanye Stillwater operations and across the South African Mining.

The NUM will not rest until the workers of Sibanye Stillwater:

· Are allowed to exercise their rights such as to withdraw from unsafe areas or enter a dangerous area;

· Are not intimidated when they raise issues of health and safety;

· The leadership of Sibanye Stillwater is transformed to understand the spirit of worker`s participation in health and safety matters;

We highly appreciate the intervention role discharged by the DMR PPC as NUM and we will work with all stakeholders in the South African Mining Industry, including Sibanye Stillwater, to ensure that workers health and safety is achieved.

The NUM demands Sibanye Stillwater to hold a workers health and safety Summit, which must precede the Mining industry summit and come up with agreements that will be practicable to implement at the operations with workers.

The recent incidents that have taken place at Sibanye have compelled NUM to meet with the Executive of Sibanye, along with the DMR and other unions. We have also recently marched to the Minerals Council (formerly known as Chamber of Mines) to raise our grievances on the state of health and safety at Sibanye and across the industry.

The DMR Inspectorate was also cautioned to put its house in order. The DMR inspectorate has become weak since 2016 and requires to be overhauled and capacity build-up to ensure that the department can cope with ensuring compliance at the operations.

The NUM has further noted that some companies that operate at a multinational level, offer better conditions in some countries, but undermine the black mineworkers lives in South Africa, by offering less inferior conditions to them. This situation cannot be tolerated.

For more information, please contact:

Duncan Luvuno: NUM Health and Safety Chairperson: 082 335 2250

The National Union of Mineworkers

7 Rissik Street.

Cnr Frederick

Johannesburg

Tel: 011 377 2111

Cell: 083 809 3257

Web: www.num.org.za<http://www.num.org.za>

Twitter: @Num_Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/100860023402167