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Johannesburg - The Mineral Resources Department gives due consideration before ordering mine closures for health and safety reasons, Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane said on Tuesday.
Speaking after a visit to Harmony Gold's Doornkop Mine on the West Rand, Zwane said the department did not invoke Section 54 of the Mine Health and Safety Act "willy nilly". The department can use this act to issue so-called safety stoppages.
Zwane's comments come amid criticism that such stoppages contribute to production loss in the industry.
"We cannot risk the safety of our people. We must look after them. I am sure the chamber (of Mines) will agree that we need healthy personnel," said Zwane.
He said he had chosen to visit Doornkop to see the measures taken by the mine after an underground fire incident killed nine workers in February last year. He said he was delighted with the measures the mine has taken. He said he was also delighted that the number of fatalities in the industry are falling.
During the visit, Zwane spent time underground. "We saw the day-to-day risks taken by workers and the measures the mine has taken to improve safety," he said.
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