Johannesburg, 26 October, 2023 / 7:03 pm (ACI Africa).
Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have, through their Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), launched a class action lawsuit against the Anglo American Group, seeking recourse for sick miners and families of workers who died after contracting pneumoconiosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In a Wednesday, October 25 statement JPC officials say the lawsuit filed by Richard Spoor attorneys in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Local Division on October 18 is a “significant attempt to address the historical issues faced by coal miners who have unfortunately not been compensated for their hardships.”
“The applicants’ claim is based on delictual causes of action for the respondents’ wrongful breach of their duties to the mineworkers employed by them or who worked in their mines, under the common law, the applicable legislation and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa from 1996,” they say.
JPC officials say that while the Anglo-American Group’s policy “places an emphasis on accountability, ensuring that any breaches are met with appropriate actions in line with both Group and local laws”, the Company has not been compensating workers.
Officials of the SACBC commission add that the Anglo American Group’s social policy states that the entity supports “ethical mining, including human rights and safety by identifying and managing social and human rights impacts and risks related to labour security, communities, health and the environment” yet they have testimonies from miners indicating the opposite.
