Lifeline For South African Gold Miners In £280Million Compensation Relief.

By Nevson Mpofu

Ten-Thousands of South Africa’s former gold miners languishing under silicosis diseases have received a long life relief of financial compensation after lawyers representing them won for them a long-  time protracted legal battle against their labour laws defiant employers .

The recently released report from South Africa posted to the Pan-African media house reveals leniency on the side of thousands of workers who among them ¾ of the total figure amounting to ten thousands not less but exceeding to thrice the figure have been diagnosed silicosis.

Lawyer , Richard Spoor yells a long time battle relief releasing ten thousands of former gold miners out of absolute poverty          pinned to them since time memorial they lost jobs due to illness , old age and some other reasons unexplained .

‘’ It has been a long -time. Its now a huge relief ‘’,  Spoor en-marks his words for the relax moment for mine workers who were channeled to jurisprudence in 2016 after SA Judges key decision  allowed lawyers to stand on behalf  of miners in a labour relations and justice fair manner .

The historic agreement is meant to pull out a big number of some former mine workers who migrated to SA while from other parts of the region like from  neighboring countries Zimbabwe , Malawi , Zambia , Mozambique and some in the SADC .

‘’We are happy,. We are just poor. This will help us somehow, somewhere, ‘’ says Hendrick Mokoena , 57 years old former gold mine worker .

According to a top workers representative Alois Makoi quoted by this media opens up that compensation varies from case to case. Some could get more than others but some will get less,

‘’ What I know is all former workers are relieved but some will get less. Compensation varies from case to case. Some will get less than amount ‘’

The Region is estimated to have more than 500,000 gold- workers   who succumbed to silicosis. The lung infectious disease is caused by silica dust from gold bearing rocks. South-Africa the largest producer of gold in the World has the highest number of gold migrant workers especially from Malawi and Zimbabwe. Most of the workers migrated in the 1960s during the federation and amalgamation of Rhodesia [Zimbabwe] and Nyasaland [Malawi] . During the ensued years, Malawi had serious employment problems. A big number of job seeking young and old Malawians and Zimbabweans travelled to SA Wenela Mines for employment in gold mines.