A political analyst said that unless the department increased the testing of miners, it would be impossible to track the virus’ spread.
Ramping up the testing of mineworkers is the only way to track and trace the spread of the coronavirus in the industry after 384 miners tested positive, according to government and an independent analyst.
During an update on the sector’s interventions to combat the spread of Covid-19 on Friday, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said the mining industry must prioritize the health and safety of mineworkers and others who might be directly affected by the operations at mines.
“The more we test, the more we become aware of the extent of the problem and the location thereof.
“Prior to ramping up, all mining operations are required to prepare and implement a mandatory code of practice for the mitigation and management of Covid-19.
“Failure to do so will be regarded as a criminal offence and a breach of the Mine Health and Safety Act,” said Mantashe.
Political analyst Daniel Silke also said that unless the department increased the testing of miners, it would be impossible to track the spread of the virus.
“I understand that there is a lot of learning we are doing as we move along because this is uncharted waters, but we need to find a way to react to the hotspots and prioritize those areas,” he said.
He said that if the spread of the virus was not dealt with on a case-by-case, mine-by-mine, factory-by-factory basis, it would be impossible to contain its spread, which could put thousands of lives at risk.
According to the Minerals Council South Africa, in 2018 the mining sector employed 456,000 workers. So far, the departed has tested 46,000, according to the latest figures from the minister.
Minerals Council president Mxolisi Mgojo warned that while it was necessary to focus on the battle against Covid-19, the sector should not lose focus on the occupational health and safety challenges.
He said the consequences of Covid-19 and the ratings agency downgrades had made economic restructuring even more urgent as the country faced a deep recession, with reduced business activity and employment.
“More than ever, these times demand cooperation, understanding and a united effort to rescue our industry, our economy, and our population’s overall health and welfare from the deepest crisis we and our world have seen.
“We commit to doing our part in every sphere,” said Mgojo.
In other news – Khanyi Mbau gives away all her Shoes and it is a lot of pairs – Pictures
If you know Khanyi, you would know her taste for expensive stuff, and obviously, among those shoes she gave away are designer shoes which the recipient would feel really honored to be wearing them.
Khanyi Mbau is an industry heavyweight as controversial as she might seem at times and we’d imagine how many fans of hers who would want to walk in her shoes. Well, she made it happen, Khanyi recently took to social media revealing she has given away all her shoes so that people can know what it’s like to walk in her shoes. continue reading
Source: The Citizen