North West mines the most dangerous
Mining fatalities in the first nine months of 2010 dropped by about 26% compared to the same period in 2009, the trade union Solidarity said today. The number of mining fatalities reached 97 this week after a fatal accident at Simmers & Jack’s Tau Lekoa mine near Klerksdorp last night. This brings the number of mining fatalities this past week to three after an earth tremor led to the death of two workers at Harmony’s Bambanani mine in the Free State last week.
Meanwhile the so-called silly season is also lying ahead. Mining accidents usually increase sharply over the last two months of the year. The trade union warned that mines and mineworkers regard November and December as a critical period for increasing mine security because this period is notorious for its relaxed safety measures, which could ultimately lead to an increase in the number of mining accidents.
In 2007, 221 mineworkers – i.e. more than four workers per week – died on South African mines. This figure had dropped to 165 by 2009 – i.e. just over three workers per week.
“According to provisional data from the Department of Mineral Resources, 96 workers – i.e. just over two workers per week – have died in the first nine months of 2010, compared to 129 fatalities in the same period last year,” explained Paul Mardon, Solidarity’s head of occupational health and safety. Just under half of this year’s mining fatalities – i.e. 46 fatalities – occurred in gold mines, while 24 fatalities were caused by accidents at platinum mines.
“Mines in North West are the deadliest in South Africa,” Mardon said. “The number of mining fatalities has dropped in seven of the nine provinces compared to last year, but most of the mining fatalities still occurred in North West (34), followed by Gauteng (20) and then the Free State (17),” Mardon explained.
The number of mining accidents dropped by 31%, from 2 613 accidents from January to September last year to 1 801 accidents in the same period this year, and 54% of this year’s accidents occurred in North West.
According to Mardon, Solidarity has a division that specialises in occupational health and safety. “The division encourages, among other things, the appointment of trade union representatives that focus only on mining safety. The results of this are clearly visible at the employers. Their safety records are better than those of their competitors,” according to Mardon.