Mako Jerera
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare will be registering and testing ex- Wenela miners and testing them for Pneumoconiosis and Silicosis, to help them get compensation from the South African Mining Companies where they worked for in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
This follows the announcement that mine workers who were exposed to harmful substances and ended up contracting silicosis and turbeculosis at South African gold mines are set to receive compensation.
This development comes after the High Court in Johannesburg approved the settlement in the Silicosis and Tuberculosis class action reached in July 2019 and came into effect in December 2019.
In a statement yesterday, the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Permanent Secretary Mr Simon Masanga said, “The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in partnership with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) will be testing for Pneumoconiosis and Silicosis as well registration of the Ex-Wenela mine workers.
This is being done to assist the Ex-Wenela mine workers to get compensation from South African Mining companies. The mobile testing and registration is being carried out in phases in all the ten (10) provinces of the country.”
The exercise will start in Willowvale, Harare, from Monday next week.
Mr Masanga called on all ex-Wenela mine workers to come forward and get tested and be registered.
He said the exercise will be done free of charge.
“For registration Ex-Wenela miners are requested to bring the following details;
Positive identification, name of mine worked in South Africa, mine number (if it exists) and the period worked on South African mines” Mr Masanga said.
He added that where the person is deceased beneficiaries should bring the death certificate of the person who participated in the Wenela Programme and details as in the format given above.
Those with inquiries were urged to the reach out to the Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare on +263 790 871/7 or NSSA on +263 8677000455.
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