The Deputy Health Minister, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, will embark on the ex-mineworkers compensation fund outreach programme in KwaZulu-Natal to sensitise stakeholders about the unclaimed social protection benefits by ex-mineworkers amounting to R10 billion.

The Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Boitumelo Moloi and the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane will join Dhlomo in the drive.

“The programme is part of government’s efforts to track, trace and pay the former mine workers or their dependents who qualify for compensation funds, class action settlement funds and pension/ provident funds,” a media statement read on Friday.

According to the media release, the Deputy Ministers will meet the traditional leaders and other invited stakeholders as part of the “sensitisation” efforts of the programme within communities.

The outreach will kick start on Monday, 16 January 2023, in Pongola and will wrap up on Wednesday in Ulundi, where the team will also visit schools around the area.

This will be followed by the planned community engagements that will unlock and facilitate the payment of compensation through cash transfers to the ex-mineworkers or their dependants.

The Department of Health said it will conduct screening for the presence of mine-related lung diseases.

“These events are only open to the invited stakeholders, traditional leaders and media. Public events are planned for the following week.”

Source: South African Government News Agency