Pretoria: Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane have welcomed the disbursement of over R42 million in compensation and benefits to former mineworkers and surviving beneficiaries in the province.
According to South African Government News Agency, the funds have been disbursed through a 41-day outreach programme that commenced on 13 July 2026 in Port St Johns. Mabuyane, a former mineworker himself, has spearheaded the Ex-Mineworkers' Programme alongside the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), through Project Ithubalethu, to ensure former mineworkers and their families receive their long-overdue compensation. To date, the initiative has disbursed over R42 million across the Eastern Cape.
The financial injection is aimed at addressing the long-standing needs of former mineworkers and their families by ensuring streamlined access to social security benefits, unpaid compensation, and statutory claims.
The Department of Employment and Labour, the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, the Department of Health, Ithubalethu Ex-Mine Workers' Programme, the South African Ex-Mineworkers Council, Rand Mutual Assurance, and the South African Medical Association held an ex-mineworkers' roundtable at the Mthatha Health Resource Centre, located at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. The roundtable and outreach programme in Mthatha provided a platform to exchange information, share experiences, and report on progress made across the province.
Sihle Mlangeni, representing the Embassy of eSwatini, also attended the session as a representative of Labour, as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) delegation. During the engagements in Mthatha, Meth, Mabuyane, and departmental leadership met directly with ex-mineworkers and beneficiaries to listen to their concerns, assess service delivery on the ground, and oversee the processing of claims through mobile Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation Fund units operating on-site.
Additional services included health screening, work-seeker registration for beneficiaries, social security services by the Department of Social Development, and identity document services by the Department of Home Affairs. Meth emphasized the importance of collaboration and justice for workers, stating that the disbursement of over R42 million is a demonstration of the commitment to restoring dignity to ex-mineworkers. Mabuyane highlighted the personal significance of the initiative, emphasizing the provincial government's dedication to bringing restorative justice to former mineworkers.
The department emphasized that the initiative is an ongoing, long-term programme. Former mineworkers and eligible family members or dependents are urged to visit their nearest Labour Centre or DEL service points to enquire, register, and process their unclaimed benefits and compensation claims. Mobile offices across South Africa and processing teams will continue maintaining an active presence in targeted districts across the Eastern Cape to ensure all eligible former workers and families receive their rightful benefits.
Meth reported significant progress made during the 41-day programme, noting that on the first day alone, the Department of Employment and Labour paid out R1.4 million. The programme aims to serve those most in need, including claimants who are old, frail, or have lost family members due to occupational diseases. Meth affirmed the importance of continuing this much-needed programme nationwide.