Fraudsters target ex-miners

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday April 18, 2019 13:22

The syndicate claims to be agents from the Chamber of Mines in South Africa, but it is in actual fact out to deceive and defraud ex-miners.

“We understand that these individuals would call ex-miners and request them to send them their personal and banking information by e-mail. These fraudsters have even gone to an extent of visiting the homesteads of the ex-miners.

Reports also indicate that these fraudsters have gone to an extent of providing transportation to take ex-miners to Mahikeng and other provinces in SA to open bank accounts and demand payment for services rendered,” he explained.

Phiri said BOLAMA is greatly concerned by the reports, adding that thievery has the potential of undermining the efforts of their association in seeking justice for ex-miners.

He added that the trust they had built with the ex-miners and the relationship they had built with various stakeholders, including the governments of both Botswana and SA, was likely to be affected.

He said they were likely to have the public painting them with the same brush as the fraudsters.

However, Phiri ensured their members, partners and the public at large that they are committed to the struggle to resolve issues and the plight of ex-miners.

He said they would ensure that those fraudsters are brought to book. He further called upon the Botswana government to hold an urgent meeting with BOLAMA to map a way forward.

“Further, we would like the government of Botswana to establish an inter-ministerial committee whose mandate will be to address all issues concerning ex-miners and to ensure that ex-miners in the country are protected.

Now, what we fear is that with the recent regional TB silicosis class action, which is reaching finality, these syndicates are going to scale up operations.”

“We would like government to consider this issue and respond to it as a matter of urgency. Otherwise, we are going to see a lot of ex-miners in Botswana being exploited, duped and defrauded of their hard earned monies in compensation,” he said.

The lawyers for the miners who either fell sick or died after contracting HYPERLINK “http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/downloads/documents/useful-documents/occupational-health-and-safety/Useful%20Document%20-%20OHS%20-%20What%20you%20should%20know%20about%20Silicosis.pdf”silicosis and HYPERLINK “http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/the-southern-africa-tb-in-the-mining-sector-initiative”tuberculosis in South Africa’s gold mines, reached a HYPERLINK “https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/industry/silicosis-settlement-reached/”historic class action settlement with the industry last year.

This relates to the compensation that the claimants will be paid. It is paid to the employees who are ill and their dependent spouses and children, the payments will enable them to secure medical assistance and to ensure access to some of the basic necessities of life.

They will at least have a measure of certainty that some of their needs will be taken care of.