Collaborative partnership is needed to address problems in the mining sector, South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Monday.
"These problems cannot be addressed by any one group acting alone, they will require collaborative partnerships by all stakeholders, be they organized business, organized labor and all other role players with each partner bringing unique insights and better understandings to the table," Motlanthe said at the Bench Marks Foundation conference held in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.
The conference was aimed at resolving social problems affecting mineworkers, communities and the mining houses.
Motlanthe commended the role by the Bench Marks Foundation for its research initiatives that are aimed at stabilizing the mining sector which has been hard hit by labor unrest over the past months.
The foundation is an independent organization made up of nongovernmental, religious and other community organizations that cut across the Southern African Development Community region.
Motlanthe said the mining industry has for all these years thrived by relying on a raft of discriminatory legislation that enabled it to make super profits drawn from the super exploitation of unskilled workers and an archaic migrant labor system.
"Today despite the positive changes introduced by organized labor, organized business and government, through new policy and legislation, workers still experience some of the same problems," Motlanthe said.
He called for the rule of law, peace and stability and the provision of proper and sustainable human settlement infrastructure to ensure a sustainable mining industry, particularly in the Rustenburg platinum belt near Johannesburg.
Medium to long term measures have been worked out to address the problems. These measures include reviewing the migrant labor system, annual assessment of the implementation of the Mining Charter and the reskilling of workers to achieve competitiveness and sustainable growth of the mining sector, Motlanthe said.
"A critical part of this will involve ensuring that we transform the migrant labor system in a manner that makes workers feel valued for their contribution and are respected wholesome human beings that must have decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods, including proper housing, recreation and time with families," he said.
Work is also underway involving various government departments on the improvement of health and safety in mines including the compensation of former mineworkers who suffer from occupational diseases such as silicosis, according to Motlanthe.
"Comprehensive effort is crucial in ensuring that we accelerate transformation of the industry by eliminating the negative social and economic legacies of our past and by taking necessary steps to create greater certainty and predictability in policy and regulations," Motlanthe said.
He also vowed to tackle the high rate of co-infection of TB and HIV which are more prevalent in the mines.
Research shows gold mines have three times the amount of TB infections compared to populations that are not exposed to silica dust.
The government has said in a statement that it will intervene to ensure all mine workers, particularly in the gold sector, will be frequently screened and tested for TB and HIV.
