Numsa statement on silicosis and Aurora judgements
16 May 2016
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa applauds two historic court rulings in favour of super-exploited mineworkers. Both these long-drawn out cases finally bring some hope of relief and justice to those tens of thousands of workers suffering with terminal diseases and the 5300 Aurora employees deprived without pay for more than five years.
Both stories illustrate the utter barbarity of capitalism, made even worse in the South African mining industry by the racist super-exploitation imposed by colonialism and apartheid.
Workers from all over Southern Africa were forced by poverty and, in South Africa by racist laws which stole their land, to seek work in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, in the gold, diamond, platinum and coal mines, where they were treated as virtual slaves. Fatal accidents were commonplace and when workers became ill or old they were simply dismissed and left to die in poverty and misery. Their families were left destitute.
17 000 former workers and dependents are now claiming compensation for the effects of silicosis and TB contracted while working in the mines, and the South Gauteng High Court has ruled that they can institute a class action against the mine owners. Human rights lawyer Richard Spoor estimates that the total affected and entitled to claim could be 100 000, and if successful could receive a total of R10 billion.