The Department of Health will this week commence with the programme of screening, verification, medical examination and payment of benefits to eligible former mineworkers who contracted tuberculosis (TB) or silicosis between 1965 and 2019.

The countrywide programme will kick off on Monday, 23 January to Saturday, 4 February, in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal before moving to other provinces.

The department is calling upon all former mineworkers or their dependents to visit their nearest lodgement site in their areas.

The claimants are urged to bring along relevant documents such as a valid South African ID or Southern African Development Community (SADC) passport, industry card, service records from the mine they worked at or any available medical records.

The other documents include a deceased mineworker’s death certificate and an autopsy report, if available.

The compensation amount, according to the department, will depend on several factors including the severity of the permanent respiratory impairment suffered by the mineworkers and their employment history at qualifying and non-qualifying mines.

“However, in the case where the mine worker has passed on, the dependants are urged to submit the relevant documents including a death certificate.”

In addition, a claim for a mineworker who died before 10 December 2019 will only be eligible if the main cause of death is attributed to silicosis or TB, or there is an approved Occupational Diseases in Mines & Works Act (ODMWA) certificate or other exceptions.

Source: South African Government News Agency