EFF calls for the closure of all non-essential mines in South Africa

19 May 2020

The Economic Freedom Fighters calls for the closure of all non-essential mining activities and Mines in South Africa because there is currently no guarantee that the lives of Mineworkers will be safe. No Mine has put in place a comprehensive safety measure, including measures related to the transportation and shelter of workers which will prevent them from contracting COVID-19. Mines in South Africa are notorious for their poor health and safety standards and to open these amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is to endanger not only mineworkers but their families and communities, most of whom reside in squalor and informal settlements where social distancing is not possible.

The EFF reiterates the call that the government should not prematurely reopen economic sectors in search of profits for the predominantly white capitalist establishment because at the end of the day, lives will be lost and there will not be any profit to make. We also take note that, despite the commitments of the Department of Mineral Resources and Health to ensure that strict health and safety standards will be complied with prior to the reopening of Mines, 13 workers were discovered to be COVID-19 positive in Impala Platinum Mine in Limpopo Province. What this means is that already these mineworkers have transmitted the virus to members of the community and family members they interacted with after work.

The South African Govemment should resist being bullied by the capitalist establishment, particularly the mining lobby, which is known for micromanaging the department of mineral resources and energy. If the government continues to bend backwards to cater to narrow mining interests, workers lives will be compromised, and many lives will be lost. When that happens, the govemment should know that they will have blood on their hands for sacrificing workers to dangerous working conditions. As we have said before, the whole society will be able to revive balanced economic activity once mechanisms to contain the rapid spread of the virus are in place, but will not be able to revive the lives of people who will die because of the reckless and senseless reopening of the economy.

The only scientific and epidemiological information that South Africa has is that the lockdown regulations can only be eased once daily infections are less than 45. Our country's daily infections now exceed 1000. There is, therefore, no rationality and sense of why the government is allowing mines to operate the under very difficult and dangerous conditions.

We call on the government to base their decision on scientific and epidemiological data, not on the dictates of their handlers.

The EFF calls on Unions representing workers in the mining sector to continue to plead for workers lives because the current leadership of the government, particularly the president have no respect for workers' lives. The EFF will, during the course of the week, seek legal advice on how we should prevent this government from subjecting mineworkers to the infectious disease.

Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, 19 May 2020