Mining Industry Urged to Strengthen Health and Safety Culture, Aim for Zero Fatalities

Nemadzinga-Tshabalala praised the South African mining sector’s safety record, noting its global recognition, but cautioned against complacency.

Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, has urged South Africa's mining industry to prioritize health and safety, aiming to eradicate harm and fatalities in the sector. Speaking at the 2024 Mine Health and Safety Summit, the Deputy Minister stressed the importance of cultivating a strong safety culture, in addition to implementing advanced technologies, to achieve zero fatalities in mining operations.

As of Monday, the industry saw an 11% year-on-year reduction in fatalities, with 34 deaths recorded in 2024, compared to 38 in the previous year. While this decrease is encouraging, Nemadzinga-Tshabalala emphasized that much more needs to be done.

“Technology alone is not enough. We need a comprehensive health and safety culture throughout the mining industry. The Health and Safety Culture Transformation Framework, developed by the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC), lays a solid foundation, but implementation across the sector is uneven,” she said.

She stressed that achieving zero harm would require leadership, accountability, and a collective commitment to the well-being of every worker. “Health and safety must be viewed as a critical component of operational success, not an obstacle to productivity.”

Despite progress, Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said any fatality was “one too many” and urged the industry to remain focused on eliminating incidents, particularly recurring accidents such as falls of ground, which continue to be the leading cause of fatalities.

In her address, the Deputy Minister highlighted recent government interventions, including the approval of the Mine Health and Safety Amendment Bill by the Cabinet. The bill is now headed to Parliament for deliberation and adoption. Additional measures include:

Engaging union leaders, mining CEOs, and boards of directors to enhance collective efforts to reduce mine fatalities.

Halting operations at unsafe mines to compel employers to take preventive action.

Increasing inspections and audits to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Promoting safe mining practices, particularly in older, more hazardous mining areas.

Organizing health and safety awareness campaigns in collaboration with labor unions and mine inspectors.

Nemadzinga-Tshabalala praised the South African mining sector’s safety record, noting its global recognition, but cautioned against complacency. She pointed to leading mining nations such as Australia and Canada as examples of higher safety benchmarks that South Africa should strive to meet.

“Our progress is commendable, but there remains much work to be done. We must continue pushing for improvement, with the goal of achieving zero harm in our mines,” she concluded.