ID WANTS PRESIDENT MOTLANTHE TO RELEASE MINE SAFETY AUDIT
4 DECEMBER 2008-‘The release of the audit is crucial if we are to save the lives of our miners,’ says Greyling
‘The release of the audit is crucial if we are to save the lives of our
miners,’ says Greyling
Lance Greyling, the ID Spokesperson on Minerals and Energy, has called on President Kgalema Motlanthe to release the audit on mine safety that was handed to him last month.
‘The wealth of this country has been built on the shoulders of our miners and the Independent Democrats believes it is a disgrace that they continue to be treated as if their lives mean nothing,’ Mr Greyling says.
‘We cannot talk about transformation of our society if we do not respect those who have sacrificed so much for our country. The safety of our miners should be a top priority.
‘During the parliamentary deliberations on the Mine Health and Safety Amendment Act earlier this year, it was reported that there had been a sudden spike in mine deaths over the previous two years,’ Greyling says.
‘When I asked the Department what the reasons behind this spike were, they said they had not yet been able to determine this.
‘The release of this audit is crucial not only for accountability and transparency in governance, but also so that we can make the kind of interventions that will prevent loss of life in the future,’ says Greyling.
‘We need to recommit ourselves to our national effort to change the way the lives of miners were once regarded. Under colonialism and Apartheid thousands upon thousands of lives were lost to mining and it is up to all of us to ensure that the lives of miners are valued and respected like any other.
‘These are men who every day go underground for pathetically low wages and under extremely difficult working conditions to remove the minerals that contribute so massively to our economy,’ Greyling says.
For media enquiries, please call Steven Otter, ID National Media Officer, on 084 233 3811
Lance Greyling, the ID Spokesperson on Minerals and Energy, has called on President Kgalema Motlanthe to release the audit on mine safety that was handed to him last month.
‘The wealth of this country has been built on the shoulders of our miners and the Independent Democrats believes it is a disgrace that they continue to be treated as if their lives mean nothing,’ Mr Greyling says.
‘We cannot talk about transformation of our society if we do not respect those who have sacrificed so much for our country. The safety of our miners should be a top priority.
‘During the parliamentary deliberations on the Mine Health and Safety Amendment Act earlier this year, it was reported that there had been a sudden spike in mine deaths over the previous two years,’ Greyling says.
‘When I asked the Department what the reasons behind this spike were, they said they had not yet been able to determine this.
‘The release of this audit is crucial not only for accountability and transparency in governance, but also so that we can make the kind of interventions that will prevent loss of life in the future,’ says Greyling.
‘We need to recommit ourselves to our national effort to change the way the lives of miners were once regarded. Under colonialism and Apartheid thousands upon thousands of lives were lost to mining and it is up to all of us to ensure that the lives of miners are valued and respected like any other.
‘These are men who every day go underground for pathetically low wages and under extremely difficult working conditions to remove the minerals that contribute so massively to our economy,’ Greyling says.
For media enquiries, please call Steven Otter, ID National Media Officer, on 084 233 3811
