These were some of the details to emerge from a virtual briefing by the Minerals Council South Africa on Tuesday, 28 April. Several companies including Sibanye-Stillwater, Anglo American and Gold Fields also provided presentations about the steps they are taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as they ramp up operations. These include intensive screening and the provision of protective gear.
“It is too early to assess the impact on the industry,” said Tebello Chabana, the senior executive for public affairs and transportation at the Minerals Council. A lot is at stake here. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union has a case in the Labour Court that seeks to compel the DMRE to issue binding nationwide regulations on managing Covid-19 on mines. The merits of Amcu’s case will be heard on 29 April. The National Union of Mineworkers has also expressed concerns about the ramp-up, underscoring the anxieties of its rank and file.