The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Workers of South Africa (AMCU) has moved to court against government’s decision to allow mining operations with 50pc capacity.
South Africa had allowed mining activities to resume during the lockdown phase stating that idled mines cause dangers of rockfall and increased seismicity, as reported by Davis Index in the previous week.
The mine workers’ association believes that the government’s call to resume mining poses a threat to the health of a quarter million workers and their families. South African authorities have not laid down binding regulations on employers to protect miners from COVID-19 infection leading to inadequate safety measures, according to AMCU.
Most underground mining operations cannot comply with social distancing in South Africa, according to local media reports.
The Labour Court had granted AMCU a hearing for its application on April 29.