JOHANNESBURG, Nov 17 – South Africa’s mines minister said on Thursday that her department would be increasing health and safety audits of mines in the face of a “culture of non-compliance” and slammed the industry again for putting profits ahead of safety.
“My department is currently reviewing the Mine Health and Safety Act to strengthen enforcement,” Susan Shabangu told a mine health and safety summit.
Shabangu said “heightened” health and safety standards would take place over the Christmas holiday period and the first half of next year.
She said 112 workers had been killed in the country’s mines so far in 2011 but gave no comparative figure for the same period last year.
Source: Reuters Africa newsletter
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