18 November 2008
editorial
Johannesburg — MINE workers' unions are justifiably concerned over the delay in the release to the public of a long-overdue audit report on mine safety, but this is a matter of greater importance than the interests of labour.
The audit, commissioned by former president Thabo Mbeki in October last year after 3200 workers were trapped underground at Harmony Gold's Elandsrand mine, was due to be handed to Mbeki in July, but his successor, Kgalema Motlanthe, received it only last month. It came after more than 200 deaths reported last year and 150 so far this year.
In the first instance, every insight into improving mine safety has the potential of saving lives. That, above all, must be the main concern and any delay in providing practical steps to improve safety is unacceptable, no matter how damaging the report might be to the mines, the government or any other party.
All that is known about the report is that is shows disturbingly low levels of safety compliance among the 333 high-risk mines included in the audit; but without the detail, that information is clearly not enough to formulate a coherent response and improve mine safety.
The mines implicated in the report might be reluctant to see the report made public, even though it is clearly in their interest to maintain accident-free operations. It is understandable, too, that the industry generally might be less than keen to see its reputation tarnished any further, even though cover-ups never endure.
But why there should be a delay in the Presidency is incomprehensible. Surely nothing is more important than saving lives, a view Motlanthe, a former mining union boss, could be expected to share?
The government is quick to order the punitive closure of shafts, which is in no one's interest, yet it is tardy in releasing an urgent report. It is little wonder the unions hint darkly at a cover-up and threaten to extend a period of mourning for the mine dead.
The sooner the president does his reading and releases the report, the better for everyone.
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