JOHANNESBURG May 7 (Reuters) – A safety crackdown on the
South African mining industry reduced the number of fatalities
in the country’s mines to three in April, from an average of 11
or more a month, mines minister Susan Shabangu said.
“There has been a significant improvement on health and
safety since the department intensified enforcement measures at
the mines,” Shabangu said in a speech to the National Council of
Provinces dated May 3, which was obtained by Reuters on Monday.
“In fact, the month of April 2012 has recorded the lowest
fatalities ever, of three deaths, when compared with other
historical figures, which were generally more than 11 deaths per
month,” she said.
This year to date, 39 people have lost their lives in South
African mines compared with 42 in the same period in 2011, while
the number of mine injuries fell 35 percent to 668, Shabangu
said in the speech.
South Africa’s mines are the world’s deepest and among the
most dangerous, and Shabangu’s ministry has been leading a drive
that has included a surge in inspections, and stoppages for
safety violations.
South Africa’s mining output fell sharply in volume terms in
February, the latest month for which data is available,
highlighting the impact of the safety push.
Production of platinum group metals (PGMs) fell 47.6 percent
while gold output fell 11.5 percent in volume terms in February.
Total mineral production was down 14.5 percent compared with the
same month last year.
(Reporting by Sherilee Lakmidas, editing by Ed Stoddard and
David Hulmes)
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