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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
 
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-the parties agreed that there was some need for legislative intervention and 
restructuring; and that a tripartite body should be set up to review the relations on an 
ongoing basis; 
 
-there should be employee participation at all levels of policy formulation and 
enforcement in the fields of safety and health; 
 
-there was a need for improved, better directed and more inclusive training; 
 
-there was agreement in principle regarding the right of a worker to refuse to work in 
unsafe conditions; and 
 
-it was agreed that great importance must be attached to the question of research and 
development regarding health and safety matters. 
 
2.1.2  The Trade Unions 
 
2.1.2.1  The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) 
 
The Union is registered, as a trade union within the meaning of the Labour 
Relations Act No 28 of 1956, as amended.  It was formed in 1982 and 
represent about 300 000 members in the mining industry. 
 
The NUM first called for the establishment of this Commission in 1991 in 
discussion at the Mining Industry Summit.  After investigation and 
lengthy discussions the COM agreed to join employee organisations in 
formulating proposals for the Commission in 1992.  The NUM made 
extensive preparations following the announcement in 1993 that a 
Commission would be established, and submitted a wide range of papers 
bearing on health and safety to the Commission. 
 
The NUM is the largest recognised collective bargaining agent 
representing workers in the mining industry and its membership 
constitutes some 60% of the workforce. The NUM has always made 
health and safety issues a central theme of its campaign and of its 
negotiations with employers.  Some of its efforts are described in its 
submission entitled “A Thousand Ways to Die” listed in the Appendix 
among the NUM submissions. Other submissions clearly demonstrate the 
concern and determination of the union to obtain better standards of health 
and safety for the workforce in the mining industry.  The issues raised in 
these publications by the union remain relevant today.  The union has 
offices in Johannesburg and has several regional officers in mining areas. 
 
Evidence was provided for the Commission by Mr Senzeni Zokwana, 
Deputy President of the NUM, which included some of his personal 
experiences when he was first employed as a mineworker and during his 
subsequent career development.  He had worked at the President Steyn 
Gold Mine for fourteen years, and described his humiliation at the 
procedures that he was subjected to when he first became a miner. 
 
 
 

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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
 
12
He has now risen through the ranks to be a trainee shift boss, but was now 
required to join another Union dominated by white miners, although still a 
leading member of the NUM.  When he first joined the NUM his 
relationship with his superiors became sour.  Indeed he was dismissed in 
1986 without a hearing and was out of work for two months. 
 
Later he was found not guilty but was demoted from August 1986 to 
February 1991 to the position of station marshal.  Matters improved from 
1991 when he returned from leave and he was offered assistance in 
training, and the relationship was much better today, and he had no 
problems being released from work to attend to union matters. 
 
Professor Wilson gave his opinion, which was not seriously challenged, 
that the rise of the NUM had brought about the biggest single change in 
the mining industry. It had introduced different priorities into the 
collective bargaining system, with the major priority change being with 
regard to family life and family housing.  In the past such family housing 
had been strictly limited by apartheid legislation.  The NUM had pushed 
hard for stabilisation in the sense of family housing, and this had not been 
a priority with the industry.  As a result there is a trend towards 
stabilisation with some men’s wives and children near enough to the mine 
to see each other on a more regular basis. 
 
2.1.2.2 Other 
Unions 
 
The Chemical Workers Union has a much smaller membership in mines 
and represents coal mine workers in the SASOL group of mines.  They 
were represented at the inquiry by Mr Richard Spoor. 
 
The Council of Mining Unions represents the Mineworkers Union, the 
Electrical Association, the Boilerworkers and Steelworkers Association, 
and the Amalgamated Engineering Union. 
 
The Council represents about 21 000 members, nearly all white, and Mr K 
P Cronje testified on their behalf.  Historically they have played an 
important rule in developing the legislative framework which formerly 
applied only to white workers.  He made common cause with the NUM on 
most matters relating to health and safety.  However, he agreed that some 
years ago his Council had tried to maintain racial discrimination and job 
reservation (Cronje pp 1440 8-10).  He was concerned about the loss of 
discipline in the mines and believed that management had lost control of 
the workers.  He also agreed that there were political differences between 
his organisation and the NUM, but Mr Zokwana testified that there was a 
good spirit of co-operation in mining matters between the Unions, and that 
the NUM met regularly with the Council. 

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