Parliament, Tuesday, 8 October 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources has called on the Chief Inspector of Mines from the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to monitor closely the imminent inquest into the accident that claimed the lives of 13 mine workers at the Rustenburg-based Impala Platinum Mine on 27 November 2023.
Seventy-three other mine workers who were in the same conveyance as their departed colleagues were injured. The committee was pleased to hear that these workers have since been discharged from the hospital and continue to receive psychological and post-traumatic care from the mine.
“We will be following the inquest with keen interest and we are urging the Chief Inspector of Mines to monitor it closely, because we will be interested on the outcome and consequence management against anyone found to be in the wrong. No stone should be left unturned,” said the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mikateko Mahlaule.
The committee is, however, encouraged at the speed with which the mine moved to implement remedial action by installing new technology on the same conveyance, which will prevent any recurrence of a similar accident.
On Monday, 7 October 2024, the committee was briefed by the department’s regional office in North West on the state of illegal mining in the province, as well as mine health and safety. It also engaged with organised labour as part of its two-day oversight visit in the province.
Tomorrow, the committee will visit Sibanye Stillwater in Carletonville, West Rand, where it will be briefed by management on mine health and safety, and later conduct an inspection of the premises.
On Thursday, the committee will convene at the Harmony Gold Mponeng Lapa, Wits West, Carletonville, to be briefed by Harmony Gold Mine, Sibanye Stillwater and Blyvoor Gold, followed by inspections of Kusasa sewerage plant, Blyvoor plant area, Covelant waste dump and Sibanye plant area.
On the last day, Friday, 11 October 2024, the committee will focus on illegal mining sites in Ekurhuleni and conduct inspections at the DRD solar plant rehabilitated mining site, the Benoni Driving Range Racetrack rehabilitation and the Van Ryn illegal mining site.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENT COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL AND PETROLUEM RESOURCES, MR MIKATEKO MAHLAULE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Mr Justice Molafo
Cell: 081 424 7481
Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
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