Parliament, Wednesday, 25 August 2021 – The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy has welcomed the vaccination of more than 120 000 mineworkers against the coronavirus, which amounts to 20% of the workforce in the mining sector.
Collectively, the sector employs 452 000 workers. The committee was briefed by the Mineral Council South Africa (Mincosa) on statistics relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, management of Covid-19 and the vaccination process in the mining sector.
The committee further welcomed a commitment from Mincosa to reach a vaccination target of 80% by the end of September 2021. It also welcomed the Council’s commitment to make available its unused health centres as quarantine facilities.
Although noting the challenge of vaccination apathy and misinformation, the committees encouraged Mincosa to accelerate the vaccination of mineworkers in order to move to the second phase of vaccinating mining communities and the labour-sending towns.
It called upon government to intensify communication about the importance of vaccination and address the myths around the so-called “vaccine passport.”
On Tuesday, the committee was briefed by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, iGas, PetroSA and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation on the challenges facing the mining and energy sector in South Africa, as well as the mitigating factors.
The committee welcomed the presentations and resolved to invite Transnet so that it can be briefed on the Durban-to-Johannesburg pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products such as gas, petrol, diesel and jet fuel.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MR SAHLULELE LUZIPO
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Mr Justice Molafo
Tel: 021 403 8444
Cell: 081 424 748
Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
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