Supervisor �could be liable� for TNMC employee death

Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday November 26, 2014 17:10

 

The inquest stems from Raditsebe’s death on June 15 in a freak bulldozer accident. The 30-year-old was reportedly working on a 50-metre high waste dump and sustained extensive injuries, including a deep laceration on the thigh, when the bulldozer overturned and rammed into nearby fences.

TNMC completed an investigation into his death last year and the case subsequently debuted at the Francistown Magistrate Court this February. Speaking at the inquest, prosecutor Tebogo Masala told Chief Magistrate Gaedupe Makgatho, that Raditsebe’s supervisor might be liable for the death. He added that tests had been completed on the Komatsu bulldozer the late worker was using at the time of the accident.

“Evidence before court shows that Raditsebe’s supervisor omitted to take safety precautions before the death occurred. He failed to provide a spotter. Evidence before court has showed that a spotter is a very important person at the mine,” said Masala. Masala said that he would reconcile all evidence given in court before considering if anyone could be held liable for the offence. He said that the Mines, Quarries and Machinery Act stipulates that someone shall be held responsible for the accident if they did not do their job as expected.

The investigating officer, constable Tsietso Batsalelwang, told the court that she went to investigate the scene of accident and notified the parents of the deceased afterwards.

Batsalelwang said that Raditsebe’s father, Tshwanelo, went to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital and identified the body of his son.

Makgatho reserved the ruling on whether anyone is responsible for the death of Raditsebe to February 6, 2015.