POLITICS

32 Covid-19 cases at Dwarsriver Chrome Mine - Assore

Cases detected after 544 employees were tested for the disease at operation in Limpopo

CONFIRMATION OF COVID-19 TESTING RESULTS AT DWARSRIVIER CHROME MINE – 21 MAY 2020

Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine (“DCM”) previously reported 2 confirmed COVID-19 cases on 4 May 2020 and 7 May 2020. DCM suspended all production as a precautionary measure from 5 May 2020. In effect there were no operational staff on site from 6 May until 14 May 2020. Subsequent to the second confirmed case, Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine was served with a Section 54 Notice by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (“DMRE”) on the evening of 7 May 2020, instructing DCM to halt operations until certain orders in terms of the notice were fulfilled, inter alia all the employees who were on duty from 29 April 2020 to 04 May 2020 be subjected to a COVID-19 test. On 8 May 2020, all DCM employees were requested to remain in their homes and limit non-essential movements in preparation for the universal testing ordered by the DMRE.

DCM confirms that in accordance with the Section 54 instruction 544 employees have been tested for COVID-19, and the final results were received on 20 May 2020. 512 tests results were negative and 32 were positive for COVID-19. All 32 positive cases have been placed into isolation. The contact tracing for the 32 confirmed cases is being undertaken.

The 32 cases confirmed brings the cumulative total for DCM to 34, of which 2 have fully recovered already.

The DMRE has, subsequent to a review conducted on 19 May 2020, uplifted the Section 54 instruction effective 20 May 2020 and DCM resumed permissible mining operations on 20 May 2020 in line with provisions of the Disaster Management Act regulations at Alert Level 4, which allows for the mine to operate at 50% of its normal capacity.

Statement issued by Bongani Phakathi, Executive Human Resources and Public Affairs, Assore, 21 May 2020