The Minerals Council South Africa launched its Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Guide in multiple languages to mark World TB Day as it commits to improving the lives of mineworkers.

The Minerals Council’s multi-party Masoyise Health Programme launched the guide in English, isiXhosa, Sesotho and Portuguese to assist former mineworkers across the Southern African Development Community in understanding their healthcare rights, compensation benefits, and how to contact support structures for lung diseases incurred while working on South African mines.

According to Allan Seccombe of the Minerals Council the organisation and its partners recognise the challenges ex-mineworkers face in accessing healthcare and support services after employment. To address this, they collectively developed the guide, which provides critical information on common occupational diseases and illnesses that may affect miners during and after their careers.

The guide focuses on OLDs, but it also includes contacts for Rand Mutual Assurance for other occupational injuries or diseases, as well as the Mineworkers Provident Fund regarding financial benefits.

The online guide will be distributed to countries that provided labour for South African mines as well as local labour-sending areas.

The 54-page guide defines an occupational lung disease, including silicosis, tuberculosis (TB), coal workers pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema) and asbestosis. It explains every ex-mineworker has the right to receive a free medical examination every two years at Department of Health hospitals in all nine South African provinces that perform Benefit Medical Examinations or at mine hospitals or clinics of the mining company at which they are or were employed.

Included in the guide is an explanation of the Tshiamiso Trust, which was constituted in 2020, to ensure all eligible current and former mineworkers across Southern Africa who have permanent lung impairment due to silicosis or work-related TB – or their dependents – are compensated.

Online versions of the booklet can be found on the Minerals Council and Masoyise websites:

• Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Guide – English
• Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Guide – isiXhosa
• Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Guide – Portuguese
• Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Guide – Sesotho.