(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU -A non-governmental organisation, Justice for Miners, wants the government of Lesotho to nudge South Africa to pay former and current mineworkers who are suffering from silicosis and tuberculosis.
Justice for Miners is a coalition of interested parties in the mining sector which was launched at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg last year.
The association's Lesotho secretary general, Booi Mohapi, told a press conference on Monday that after a class action lawsuit against 32 gold mining companies which resulted in a M5 billion settlement, the mineworkers have still not been paid.
This is despite the fact that the Johannesburg High Court had approved the setting up of the Tshiamiso Trust to facilitate payment by the companies to affected miners.
'The trust is envisaged to function in parallel with existing statutory compensation regimes,' Mohapi said.
The association has called on the Lesotho government 'to be part of the narrative and start robust engagements with their South African counterparts to ensure smooth and speedy payments of ex-miners' compensations through legal and institutional reforms where needed'.
Mohapi said the sickly ex-miners do not contribute sustainably to the economy of Lesotho because they have become 'a huge burden not only to the country but even to their families who have to take care of them'.
The families, he said, walk them to health centres and provide for all their needs while they helplessly wait for their own death.
'It should be noted that our grandfathers, fathers, husbands, sons and brothers were exposed mainly to silica dust due to grave negligence which was exacerbated by amongst others greed for high profits and of course the inherent racial discrimination which subjected them to violent and inhumane treatment while digging gold underground for a better South Africa,' he said.
He said it is against this background that some of the Lesotho civil society organisations joined the SADC regional civil society in November last year in Johannesburg where the Justice for Miners was launched, supported by the Southern Africa Resource Watch.
The Lesotho chapter of Justice for Miners was formed in January this year following a meeting in Maseru by Mineworkers Development Agency (MDA), the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Ex-Miners Association Lesotho and the Leadership Development Trust.
Justice for Miners has also appealed to Tshiamiso Trust to 'speed up the process of paying the ex-miners compensation before they all die'.
'We advise strongly to Tshiamiso Trust to open offices or agencies here in Lesotho where people can make their claims,' he said.
The association said Tshiamiso should start by processing and paying all those who were registered for the class action court case since 2004 which was settled in 2018.
It also calls for speedy payments to all those who have Silicosis Second Degree certificates now.
'Pay all eligible widows who have certificates now,' Mohapi said.
The association has also called on Basotho especially the affected ex-miners to be on the alert and keep all their employment and medical records safe.
It warned ex-miners, widows and dependents that 'it is illegal for people to take your money promising to get your compensation for you'.
'Only you can claim your compensation. Report touts who make false promises to the nearest police station.'
The association says Tshiamiso Trust should maintain and support two health centres in Mafeteng and Maseru for continuous lung infection testing of ex-miners.
Nkheli Liphoto
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