Former mineworkers who retired from the industry due to occupational diseases, without receiving compensation, could soon be able to claim their long-awaited benefits.

The Gauteng Department of Health has called on the former miners to register for Phase Two of the Ex-Mine Security Benefits Programme in Ekurhuleni. 

The registration process started today (July 21) and is expected to run until August 22.

The families of deceased mineworkers may also be eligible to claim benefits.

The initiative, in partnership with the Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (MBOD) and other stakeholders, aims to trace, register, and screen ex-mine workers with occupational diseases, ensuring that those who qualify can access their unclaimed benefits and medical surveillance.

Many former mineworkers left the industry due to occupational lung diseases, such as silicosis and tuberculosis (TB), without receiving the compensation due to them.

In April, Parliament was told that the government was struggling to trace almost 75,000 former miners who were owed R1.3 billion in compensation for lung diseases contracted at work.

Presenting the Mines and Works Compensation Fund’s 2025/26, Health Department Compensation Commissioner, Barry Kistnasamy, told the Portfolio Committee on Health that most of the miners were assessed more than two decades ago, during an era characterised by poor record keeping and extensive delays. 

Kistnasamy said that despite the legal requirement that clinical records be retained for 40 years, few records were available for older claims. 

The commissioner said a total of 66,000 claims approved before 2005 have yet to be paid because the Compensation Commission for Occupational Diseases (CCOD) does not know how to contact the beneficiaries, or even if they are still alive.

Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said Phase One of the project was successfully implemented in the West Rand district, where over 9,000 individuals were reached, with about 539 people completing the Benefit Medical Examination tests. 

“It is crucial for ex-mining workers and their families to understand that addressing eligibility issues is essential to ensure that deserving individuals receive the benefits they are entitled to,” he said.

 Modiba said the former mineworkers and their families may reach out to the MBOD call centre to check if they have any unclaimed benefits.

He said medical interventions and compensation benefits for occupational lung diseases and other occupation-related illnesses are covered in the security benefits.  

He added that there was potential compensation for mineworkers who did ‘risk work’ at one of the 82 qualifying gold mines between March 12, 1965, and December 10, 2019, and who contracted silicosis or work-related TB from their work.

Modiba said there is also potential compensation for deceased former mineworkers, which their next of kin or dependents could claim on their behalf.

The claims would be made from Tshiamiso Trust.

“South African Law allows for anyone who has done risk work on the mines and works to have his or her heart and lungs removed after death in order to identify potential compensable occupational lung diseases (OLD). This will only be done if the next of kin provides written consent. The organs are examined for the presence of OLD, which are caused by working in mines or working for extended periods of time.  

“If the deceased was found to be suffering from a compensable OLD at the time of their death, their next of kin may potentially receive compensation. It is important to note that this information should be discussed with your family, and that not every case that is examined qualifies for compensation,” said Modiba.

During the registration weeks, mineworkers, claimants and potential beneficiaries are invited to register with their latest contact and address information, and to also check eligibility for benefit medical examinations, unpaid occupational lung disease claims, and other known unpaid social security benefits.

Modiba said the communities would be requested to bring documents such as Makhulu-skop (mineworker’s identity card), identity or passport documents, and any documentation received from the mine.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za

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