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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
 
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2.1.3  The Compound/Hostel System 
 
This has an adverse effect on the health and well being of a person.  Too many 
people living together in a small space with inadequate ventilation must inevitably 
increase the spread of disease.  Professor Wilson considered that single sex hostels 
remained an aberration whether they house 90 to a room, as some of the old 
compounds used to do, or eight or twelve to a room as the more modern hostels do.  
Although the quality of life is relatively better hostels still contribute to the spread of 
tuberculosis and HIV related diseases. There is also stress and strain of a 
psychological nature involved.  There is a lack of privacy and husbands are 
separated from their wives and children. 
 
Mr Zokwana, in his evidence, illustrated the problems of living in hostels.  There 
was no recognition of people of differing ages nor was there any privacy.  He had 
lived in a hostel room shared by sixteen with one person above another.  This 
created many problems.  Someone might arrive drunk and late and go out in the 
middle of the night to relieve a call of nature, and on returning step on his neighbour 
in a lower bunk.  If one person in the room suffers from a contagious disease the 
whole room is affected.  The lack of privacy meant that if a wife came to stay there 
was very limited accommodation for her.  Hostel life estranges the husband from his 
family.  Allocation of rooms and bunks is without reference to the age of the 
individual, which may lead to a man of 60 having to use an upper bunk, and having 
great difficulty in getting in and out of bed. 
 
Workers had no choice of who they should share rooms with, and are simply 
allocated their bunk.  Apart from the obvious risk of airborne infection from 
tuberculosis or pneumonia, there was a wide range of subtle psychological and other 
effects on people who were required to live under these conditions. 
 
In considering the evidence the Commission realises that the question of 
hostels/compounds is an exceedingly complex one for which there is no immediate 
solution.  Conditions vary from mine to mine but the system is essentially an 
unnatural one.  Those giving evidence acknowledged that the system could not be 
abolished overnight without bringing the mining industry to a grinding halt, and that 
about 50% of current residents in hostels would still opt for single male 
accommodation.  Moreover there were some mines with a very limited lifespan at 
which it would be financially impossible to upgrade their hostels. 
 
What was important was that a significant step should be taken in suggesting that 
housing at mines become part of the Reconstruction and Development Program. 
 
The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that the mining houses take a policy decision to move 
towards family housing over a period of time, and that in the meantime steps be taken to upgrade 
existing hostels whenever it is reasonably practicable to do so. 
 
The COMMISSION FURTHER RECOMMENDS that a tripartite structure be established between 
the State, the mining industry and representatives of employees to seek ways and means of 
improving the lot of workers who live on the mines, and to investigate the whole question of 
housing and accommodation for workers and their families at mines, with due regard for the 
continued viability of communities thus established.  A way must be found which will enable our  
 
 

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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
 
14
 
society to make changes in order to make better human beings of the workers by giving them 
proper and better family life, without killing off the industry. 
 
The relationship between accommodation at mines and the health of mineworkers 
will be considered further in Chapter 4. 
 
2.1.4  Constraints on Training 
 
The question of communication and transfer of information in a dangerous 
occupation such as mining is of enormous importance, but there are problems and 
constraints involved.  The great majority of the mining workforce is illiterate and 
innumerate.  They speak a range of different languages, some in addition to the 
previous official languages of Afrikaans and English. 
 
The mining industry has sought to overcome the problem of communication by 
using the mining lingua franca called Fanagalo as the language of the mines.  The 
Commission considers this to be very unsatisfactory, because the language has a 
very limited vocabulary and is unable to convey subtle meaning.  While it may be 
satisfactory for giving simple commands it is quite inadequate to convey the nature 
and extent of the dangers that lurk beneath the surface, the source of such dangers, 
and how best to avoid them. 
 
Another problem concerning the use of Fanagalo was illustrated by Mr Zokwana.  
Although he spoke English and Afrikaans he was required and obliged to speak in 
Fanagalo when he took up work at the mines.  Instead of addressing persons or mine 
officials as Mr or Meneer, he was required to use the Fanagalo expression “Baas”.  
Workers find this offensive as does the Commission. 
 
The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that having due regard to the complexity of the language 
issue all workers be given basic education and training in English. 
 
A sound basic education is a prerequisite for effective training, and training schemes may have 
reduced effectiveness if they do not build on an adequate educational standard.  Adult education 
programs involving training over a period of time are to be recommended.  Good examples of these 
were seen by the Commission at Western Deep Levels and Elandsrand mines.  Similar methods and 
principles should be adopted and extended at all mines. 
 
There are special difficulties in training those who are illiterate and enumerate.  There are 
institutions such as the Tembelethu Education Center in Pietermaritzburg which specialise in such 
matters.  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that the mining industry should avail itself of the 
expertise available in this and related fields. 
 
2.2 
Accident Records 
 
Accident experience in the South African mining industry has, historically been 
unacceptable.  The GME, Mr J B Raath, described the accident rates as “appallingly 
high”.  Documentation presented in evidence by him to the Commission confirms 
this serious situation. 

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