Pretoria - Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu met with officials from the department, the Chamber of Mines, South African Mining Development Association (SAMDA) and organised labour on Monday.
The minister and the Mining Industry Growth and Development Task Team (MIGDETT) stakeholders discussed the report and adopted the recommendations made by a task team constituted to investigate the alleged inconsistencies on the application of Section 54 of the Mine Health and Safety Act.
A section 54 notice is issued under the Mine Health and Safety Act when a mining inspector orders a work stoppage at a mine after a death or other accident at a mine.
The meeting adopted the recommendations and agreed that an implementation plan should be drafted.
One of the recommendations include that a training programme must be implemented for the Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate and that this should be aligned with the revised Enforcement Guideline. There must also be clear guidance for the inspectors if they have to take a decision on whether to stop operations at one shaft or all the shafts of a particular mine.
The meeting also adopted the recommendation that the Enforcement Guideline be reviewed and a joint stakeholders' workshop conducted to evaluate the impact of section 54 instructions issued.
There should further be an awareness campaign held targeting general mine workers on the Section 54 instructions issued at mines.
The minister welcomed the adoption of the recommendations.
"As the regulator we are very much pleased that all stakeholders have found common ground on the issue, and there is general consensus that there are challenges and there is a need for best practice to be drawn from incidents as we work towards the commitment of zero harm," said Shabangu.
According to provisional figures from the department, 63 mineworkers have died in accidents between January 1 and June 30. This does not include deaths due to illegal mining.
