ex SA miners get P18.4 million

Botswana Labour Migrants Workers Association (BOLAMA) give Tshiamiso Trust a pat in the back for speeding up the compensation of Ex-South African mine workers who were exposed to permanent lung damage from silicosis and tuberculosis in South African gold mines. Tshiamiso Trust announced this week that 231 Batswana claims amounting to P18,4 million has been paid to date since the Benefit Medical Examination ( BME) kickstarted last year to ascertain if miners have been exposed to permanent lung disease in order to receive compensation. Tshiamiso Trust spokeperson , Lusanda Jiya encouraged the former mineworkers to lodge their claims through TEBA offices in Molepolole and Palapye, adding that among the 3280 claims that have been lodged, only 231 of the 581 miners have been have been compensated. 

BOLAMA Secretary General, Tshepo Sebetlela’s heaped praises on Tshiamiso Trust which is tasked with coordinating the compensation of Ex -South Africa mine workers in Botswana. The BME excisise and compensation which runs up to 2031 will benefit ex-miners who have worked in 82 mines owned by African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa,Anglo Gold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye Stillwater and Gold Fields. 

Sebetlela has called on Tshiamiso Trust to take their services to people around the country as the current arrangement is only favourable to those who reside in urban areas. He was of the view that the Trust was only providing service relating to the compensation and medical examination in urban areas, mainly concentrating in places such such as Kanye, Molepolole, Gaborone and Palaye. 

He said that there are people residing in the fung-flung corners of the country, in places such as Shakawe,Maun,Gantsi,Kgalagadi and Northeast who have to endure traveling long distances. 

Sebetlela said that some are elder people who are expected to travel more than 1000 to urban areas for lorging and examination which is inconvenient for most of the ailing and old ex-mine worker.