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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources, Mr Sahlulele Luzipo, on behalf of the Committee, has extended heartfelt condolences to families of the seven deceased mine workers at the Sibanye-Stillwater in Driefontein, Gauteng.

He also wished a speedy recovery to the other six workers who sustained injuries, as a result of seismic event at the Carletonville shaft.  

“The mining companies need to invest more resources into research and development of technologies that would detect seismic events from early stage. In February this year, two mine workers lost their lives at the same mine in Kloof. The loss of lives in the sector cannot continue unchallenged,” said Mr Luzipo.

Once again, Mr Luzipo has called for a legislated way of imposing punitive measures to mining companies that are found to have failed to put mechanisms in place to prevent fatalities and loss of lives.

He said the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources places mine health and safety high in its agenda. Thus, it embarked on a week-long oversight visit to Gauteng from 29 January to 2 February this year which focused on mine health and safety.
 
During the visit, members of the committee saw technological devices designed specifically to detect early signs of seismic evens from the mining hub, a research facility of the Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
 
“It is against this backdrop that we strongly believe that through investment of resources into research and innovation, a solution could be found to prevent fatalities and loss of lives during seismic events,” said Mr Luzipo.
 

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson, Sahlulele Luzipo