SHARON HAMMOND, Secunda | Sunday 6.30pm.
MANAGERS at Sasol’s Middelbult Colliery near Secunda in Mpumalanga, could face criminal charges after their alleged negligence cost the lives of 53 miners in an underground explosion in May 1993.
In a report released by the department of mineral and energy affairs last week, the mine’s manager, the shaft manager, shift supervisor and two production superintendents are accused of gross negligence that led to the explosion at the north shaft. The department’s deputy chief inspector of mines, Kenneth Gudmanz, who compiled the report, said investigations found the explosion was caused by ineffective mine management and supervision that led to a small methane gas explosion that ignited excessive coal dust in the air.
General secretary for the Chemical Workers Industrial Union, Muzi Buthelezi, said the fact that coal dust largely fueled the explosion is of major significance. “Coal dust explosions are entirely preventable by simply mixing coal dust with inert stone dust,” he explained.
Gudmanz said proper ventilation would have dispelled the flammable gas. He has recommended that the mine manager be charged for failing to take all reasonable measures to ensure the health and safety of workers and proper discipline at the mine and the shaft manager, two production superintendents and the shift supervisor be charged for causing serious bodily harm to workers because of negligence.
The report has been handed to the Attorney General to decide whether or not to prosecute.
* Meanwhile, the Chemical Workers Industrial Union has criticised Sasol for not yet compensating the families of 45 black mine workers who died in the explosion, although the families of the white victims were given compensation.