It’s been a decade since gold miners afflicted by the lung disease silicosis first launched a class action suit seeking compensation from 30 gold mining companies on the grounds that the mines did little to protect their safety. Settlement was eventually reached with six mining companies in July 2019, when the Gauteng High Court approved a R5bn class action settlement.
The claims date back to March 1965, creating the added complexity of tracking down miners who have long since retired or, in the case of those who have died, putting systems in place to allow beneficiaries to claim. The Tshiamiso Trust, which was set up more than a year ago to verify claims and disburse funds to affected miners, last week disclosed that it had paid out more than R320m to 3,600 claimants. Claims are now being paid out at the rate of R3m to R4m a day.
Moneyweb reports that Richard Spoor, the attorney who filed the class action suit, argued that tens of thousands of miners had contracted silicosis as a result of breathing silica dust during their work and had suffered irreparable lung impairment. “The traction that we’ve gained is proof that the system, partnerships and processes that we put in place are working,” Daniel Kotton, CEO of the Tshiamiso Trust, said. He added that “we are continually upgrading our systems, increasing efficiencies, and expanding our operational capabilities to build on this momentum and speed up the claims process further”.
Moneyweb article – Silicosis claimants paid R320m to date in class action settlement (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Justice for Miners Campaign: Not enough being done for TB and silicosis compensation claimants
Silicosis and TB claimants allowed to appeal rejections
Intended beneficiaries still awaiting silicosis pay-outs
Class action settlement reached for miners with silicosis and/or TB