Beating silicosis

Addressing an audience of mineworkers and those involved in the mining industry, Mine Health and Safety Council, Thabo Dube said: “One of our cornerstones as MHSC is a total eradication of silicosis, secondly, prevention of silicosis and, finally, management of silicosis.”

The roadshow is an initiative of the MHSC, which has incorporated a large-scale industrial theatre production, which includes well-known local celebrity actors and entertainers to educate miners on silicosis prevention.

Chamber of Mines health advisor Dr Thuthula Balfou-Kaipa said: “We are grateful that the roadshow has finally happened; this initiative is underway. We are hopeful that the key people who are targeted will benefit by changing their ways underground.”

Working together

The vice-president of Anglo Gold Ashanti Southern Africa Division, Johan Viljoen, added: “When it comes to safety, the great thing for me is that we are working at this together as organised labour, government and the employer. It is our duty to fight silicosis; it is our duty to say ‘safety is our first value'. As Anglo Gold Ashanti we commit ourselves, our people and our management to work really hard in creating an environment where there is no person exposed to dust unnecessarily. It is my commitment to place the same focus on dust inhalation as I do on accidents and injuries.”

Make a collective commitment

Senzeni Zokwana, president of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), testified: “We must make a collective commitment to act differently, to look forward to our future. It is for us as partners not to pretend to work together, but to really work together. Let us not play with the healthy lungs of our mineworkers. We can change things when we work together, when we ourselves walk the talk. Let us stop silicosis, because we can.”

MHSC's roadshow forms part of a multi-pronged approach to silicosis elimination, with the aim of ensuring that no new cases of silicosis occur amongst previously unexposed.