Africa-Press – Botswana. The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs is currently facilitating initiatives that will assist in addressing all the issues related to payment or compensation of ex-Botswana mineworkers from South African mines.
This was said by Labour and Home Affairs Minister, Honourable Annah Mokgethi in response to a question in Parliament on Monday.
Hon. Mokgethi said the ministry continued to receive enquiries from Batswana ex-miners who previously worked in the South African mines, mainly with regard to possible assistance in accessing various forms of compensation emanating from injuries or occupational disease and related matters arising from their previous occupation at the mines.
She said a task team consisting of representatives from civil society and government had been formed to draft a framework through which the issues could be effectively addressed.
She explained that the task team was in constant engagement with its South African counterparts and a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) called Tshiamiso Trust in South Africa had been set up to deal with any payment compensations.
She explained that the Trust shared and exchanged detailed information with respect to the data necessary to enable compensation to former miners who worked in South African gold mines covered by the settlement agreement reached between six gold mining companies including African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American SA, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye-Stillwater and attorneys in the silicosis and TB class action.
“The ministry has advanced the engagement, hence senior officials have met with their South African counterparts towards the end of 2023 for the first time which was to develop the framework of implementation of compensation process,” she said.
She added that a Memorandum of Understanding towards addressing the issue between the South Africa and Botswana governments had been developed.
“There are plans to bring Tshiamiso Trust and their medical team to work with Botswana’s medical teams once the implementation plan and all necessary protocols are done,” she added.
She further said the Ministry of Health, through Boswelakoko Clinic in Molepolole, had diagnosed 3 008 ex-miners with occupational lung disease, out of which 481 claimants had been paid P37 079 024 from the end of June this year.
However, she said the process of identifying and testing of ex-miners was continuous based on availability of information.
She said the compensation process was lengthy since it required certification process by a certifying authority.
“Some delays are due to lack of documentation for ex-miners, some ex-miners’ workers are not able to obtain record of service from TEBA while some did not have official records in their possession,” she said.
Honourable Mokgethi stated that other reasons included medical records which were not available such as TB treatment cards and/or x-ray reports, especially for those that were deceased.
Member of Parliament for Sefhare-Ramokgonami, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang had asked the minister to update Parliament on progress regarding discussions between Botswana and South African officials aimed to resolve the long-standing issue of compensation and pensions of the affected ex-miners.
Dr Gobotswang also wanted to know the number of ex-miners found to be eligible for compensation on medical grounds and pensions as well as that of those that had been successfully assisted and reasons for delayed conclusion of outstanding cases.
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