Fresh demands for BCL boss� head
Correspondent | Wednesday June 29, 2016 14:29
In the last two months, three dangerous incidents have been reported at BCL Mine, one of which claimed four lives, leaving six others with serious injuries. The latest incident took place on Saturday, when two workers narrowly escaped death after a cage they were in, went into freefall as they were being lowered into a shaft.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, the workers told their area legislator, Dithapelo Keorapetse in a recent meeting that they were threatened with disciplinary action whenever they complained about health and safety issues in the workplace. One worker said accidents involving the cage were bound to happen as the machines in question were up for service in 2014, but none had taken place. “The fatal accident could have been avoided if the health and safety standards were fully adhered to. The machine did not even have safety devices to alert of any danger.
“The contractor who was engaged by the Mine to conduct maintenance failed to turn up and even withheld his report because the Mine failed to pay him,” the worker said.
The miner told the MP that they were living “under oppression” from Mine management as they were not allowed to complain about safety standards, which they said were shaky. Workers told Keorapetse that they were receiving P99 per month as an allowance for working underground, which they described as an insult.
“We are walking close to 10 kilometres to work everyday, leaving our homes at 0300hrs because of lack of transport, yet the mine has buses. This compromises our safety and seriously affects productivity,” the miners said.
Workers who witnessed last month’s fatal accident said the incident was still haunting them and urged Keorapetse to help them receive proper counselling. “Counselling services should also be extended to family members as the current crises at the Mine have also affected families.” In response, Keorapetse said he was disappointed with responses received from Minerals minister, Kitso Mokaila on issues at BCL Mine, in the last parliamentary session.He said the responses had revealed that Mine management did not truthfully report to the minister as Mokaila had denied that workers’ salaries had been paid late, yet that had happened. Keorapetse pledged his “unwavering support” to the workers and said he would continue advocating for them. He added that he was in support of Mahupela’s axing.