Mining is considered a high-risk industry due to the inherent hazards associated with its processes. Since the start of this century, SA has experienced significant advancements in mine health and safety, as illustrated by a decline in fatality rates.
Currently, health and safety standards in the mining industry rank among the highest among various industries. Engineering and technical advancements have significantly contributed to enhancements in health and safety within the mining sector.
Enhancements in working conditions, in particular safety and human behaviour in both open-pit and underground mining, are principal factors for continued progress. Health and safety management is an essential element of business strategies in mining companies, underscoring the primacy of livelihoods in achieving sustainable mining operations.
This represents a significant improvement, as it has been estimated that more than 69,000 mine workers were killed and more than 1-million injured between 1900 and 1993. The 1960 Coalbrook mine disaster at the Clydesdale Colliery near Sasolburg is the most severe mining tragedy in SA’s history. A sizeable portion of the mine collapsed, trapping 435 workers about 180m below ground. Unfortunately, there were no survivors.
Since its establishment in 1982, a key demand put forth by the National Union of Mineworkers was the entitlement of workers to decline assignments deemed hazardous. Between 1984 and 1993 an annual average of at least 600 miners lost their lives, and at least 10,000 mine workers experienced occupational injuries each year. According to some estimates, an individual with 20 years of experience working underground in the gold mines faced a one-in-30 likelihood of sustaining an injury or fatality.
One hundred and seventy-seven miners were killed at Glencore’s Kinross gold mine in Evander, Mpumalanga, on September 16 1986. A fire resulted in polyurethane burning, and the deaths were due to asphyxiation from noxious gases. Safety was not prioritised, despite the mining industry’s widespread awareness of the risks associated with underground use of polyurethane globally. The UK and US prohibited the use of polyurethane in mines during the mid- to late 1960s as a result of multiple incidents and fatalities.
In 1987 mining accidents resulted in 753 worker fatalities, equating to a mortality rate exceeding one per 1,000 employees. In that year a total of 11,473 mine workers were seriously injured, corresponding to an incidence rate exceeding 15 per 1,000 employees. By 1993 the situation had improved somewhat: 578 mine workers died in accidents, while 8,532 were seriously injured.
On May 10 1995, 104 miners lost their lives at Vaal Reefs in the North West. An underground locomotive fell down a shaft and landed on a cage loaded with night-shift mine workers on their way to the surface. The occurrence of this accident in post-apartheid SA prompted the government to initiate efforts to establish a regulatory framework for mine health and safety. Today the department of mineral & petroleum resources manages a reporting portal for accident reporting and record keeping through the SA mine reportable accidents statistics system.
In the post-apartheid period, advocacy for mine health and safety became increasingly prominent, drawing support from labour union representatives and the wider public. Today oversight mechanisms are in place to monitor and regulate the policies and practices of both the mining industry and governmental agencies with respect to mine health and safety issues. Unlike previous years, when neither the mining industry nor the government faced consequences after more than 600 miners lost their lives on average between 1984 and 1993, this represents a meaningful change in approach.
There has been significant enhancement in conditions for mine workers since the implementation of the Mine Health & Safety Act in 1996 and the subsequent establishment of the Mine Health and Safety Council with a mandate to advise the mineral & petroleum resources minister. Today the mine health & safety inspectorate is responsible for enforcing the act and has the authority to suspend mining activities when hazardous conditions are identified.
Due to statutory and institutional reforms, reported mine-related occupational diseases fell by 74% from 6,540 in 2015 to 1,723 in 2024. This indicates progress in the health prospects of mine workers. The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis decreased from 3,700 cases in 2015 to about 700 cases in 2024 across all commodities, representing an 81% reduction. Between 2013 and 2024, the number of reported silicosis cases dropped dramatically, from 1,400 to just 100 — a 93% decrease. The overall incidence of occupational diseases reported by mines across all commodities has shown a significant improvement during the same period.
Since 1994 the number of fatalities in mines has decreased by 88%, from 484 to 55 in 2023. Injuries have decreased by 75%, to 2,080 from 8,347 in that period. In 2021, 74 deaths were reported, while 49 mine workers died in 2022. The lowest number of fatalities yet recorded in SA mines was 42 in 2024. This reflects a 24% year-on-year improvement from 2023.
Last year there were at least 11 fatalities in the gold sector, compared with 20 in 2023, a year-on-year improvement of 45%. At least 19 were in the platinum sector, compared with 22 in 2023, a year-on-year improvement of 14%; in the coal sector there were at least six fatalities compared with seven in 2023, an improvement of 14%. There were six fatalities for the category of other mines, unchanged from the previous year.
In 2024, a total of 1,841 occupational injuries were reported, down 16% from 2023.
Regulations related to mining activities have undergone significant changes. The mining industry is using technologies such as seismic sensors and automated underground mining, which contribute to minimising accidents during drilling, blasting, loading and hauling operations. These developments are expected to have a positive effect on occupational health and safety, with the potential for further reductions in fatal accidents. Additional technologies include proximity detection and collision warning systems designed for workers and machine operators, as well as rockfall prevention systems.
Mining companies today acknowledge that achieving zero fatalities and injuries requires ongoing performance improvement that extends beyond mere regulatory compliance.
• Dr Tshitereke is an honorary professor at Unisa’s Thabo Mbeki School of Public & International Affairs.
