COSATU welcomes the silicosis settlement
The Congress of South African Trade Unions endorse and welcomes the decision by the Anglo American South Africa Ltd and AngloGold Ashanti Ltd to finally agree to a landmark settlement with the former mineworkers, who are suffering from silicosis. An overall settlement valued at around R500 million (£23 million) has been agreed and it will be paid into the Qhubeka Trust for distribution.
Tribute should go to our affiliate the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) for persevering and giving necessary support to mineworkers and their families ,who were victims of tuberculosis and silicosis as a result of their exposure to the silica dust. The NUM’s dedication and commitment to fairness and justice for the mineworkers is unquestionable and clearly demonstrates the revolutionary character of this formidable affiliate of COSATU.
The fact that it took so many years for these companies to acknowledge that they were responsible for the illness and the death of so many miners and the destruction of so many families, proves the immorality of capitalism and its decaying self-indulgence. This victory is very hollow for many families, who lost their loved ones and breadwinners because of the recklessness and exploitative tendencies of these mining companies.