�Cruel� gov�t deserts mine workers on ARVs

Ryder Gabathuse | Wednesday October 19, 2016 18:00

 

The Union says  when the mine was abruptly closed, no provisions were made for both BCL and Tati Nickle Mining Company (TNMC) workers on ARVs and those with other chronic diseases.

BMWU general secretary, Mbiganyi Ramokate said although time is running out, it has proven difficult for them to access either the BCL management or the liquidator, Nigel Dixon-Warren.

Now, the troubled BMWU is considering writing to the Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi to provide a solution to their workers’ troubles, as their medical aids will cease to function end of October.

The BMWU leadership’s concern is exacerbated by the fact that as their members have been on medical aid and accessing ARVs and other treatments with relative ease, it is going to be difficult for them without jobs to access the  ARVs as they are expensive.

“It should be understood that the union and the mine had done a lot of work for the affected employees to be on the ARV therapy. Now, if they are just left in the lurch like that, some might end up defaulting and eventually losing their lives,” Ramokate said, wondering why the government could not provide counselling for workers upon exiting their jobs, which is a normal practice.

He feared that without proper counselling, there was a possibility that some of them could suffer nervous breakdown as the mines’ closure was abrupt and has inconvenienced them a lot.

“You should appreciate that some people lived with work-related stress, but now when they don’t have jobs, it may become worse,” noted Ramokate.

He added that the BCL Mine has been providing ARVs for free to its employees, an incentive he said will end as at October 31.

He said an ideal situation would have meant stakeholders coming together and mapping the way forward.

Now, the only option in the immediate period is to write to the VP so that a solution could be found to help BMWU members access live-saving ARVs. “As BMWU, we believe that there is an urgent need for dialogue as we have standing agreements with the employer who is now nowhere to be seen,” declared the worried Ramokate.

The worried trade unionist wondered if the workers are simply going to lose their benefits because the employer or the agent of the employer are nowhere nearer to talking to them.

“Now that the BCL mine has closed, are we going to have people hiding behind their fingers and running away from the stranded workers who need their urgent attention?” Ramokate demanded.