When Gometse Mtsotso left All Saints village in Ngcobo in 1985 as a young father to work on the mines in the West Rand, he had a goal – provide a better life for his young children.
More than 30 years later all six of his children have passed matric – but Mtsotso, now 59, still battles to make ends meet and is unable to send them to university.
His dream of a better life crumbled in 2004 when he was diagnosed with the dreaded silicosis, a lung fibrosis caused by inhalation of dust containing silica.
Mtsotso had no choice but to return home. He received around R60000 in a provident fund and retrenchment package, but it wasn’t enough to provide for his family. He also received around R760 a month from the UIF for nine months.
Mtsotso was luckier than many of the 300 odd ex-miners who had gathered in the Ngcobo town hall to tell Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Godfrey Oliphant about their battle to claim their dues from the mines.
The deputy minister was invited to engage with them on how they could get their money. Some said they filled in forms several times and were yet to receive a cent.
“My children are starving,” an emotional Mtsotso told Oliphant inside the packed town hall.
“Silicosis is incurable, unlike TB.”
Mtsotso later told the Dispatch that most of the money he had received had been spent on doctors in Mthatha and East London trying to control his condition.
The deputy minister revealed that there was a sum of about R1.5-billion lying unclaimed in state coffers. This included insurance claims, UIF and provident fund money. “We have 1400 people on our database that we are trying to trace,” he said.
Oliphant said many ex-miners had been ripped off by unscrupulous individuals pretending to be represent them. As a result the government preferred to deal directly with claimants. “ is a futile exercise. We don’t use third parties.”
Nzwana Qotoyi, 65, worked in the mines from 1976 to 1987. He quit because of ethnic violence.
He received R2400 in UIF over a few months. He has been trying for years to get the rest of his money. “I tried working as a security guard last year in Ngcobo but I was told I was too old and they let me go,” said the father of six.
Noncedo Hloyi, a mother of six, received R400 monthly as a contribution for her children's education from mine bosses when her miner husband died in 2002. But the funds stopped abruptly after two years without any explanation.
Two years ago, former deputy president Kgalema Montlanthe set up a one-stop-shop in Mthatha to proved health and social services for all Eastern Cape ex-miners.
But they told Oliphant yesterday they couldn't afford to travel to Mthatha to be screened by doctors to enable them to apply for their money from the government.
Oliphant said his department would work with the department of health to bring doctors to their towns so that they did not have to travel long distances.
Ex-miners’ suffering continues
More than 30 years later all six of his children have passed matric – but Mtsotso, now 59, still battles to make ends meet and is unable to send them to university.
His dream of a better life crumbled in 2004 when he was diagnosed with the dreaded silicosis, a lung fibrosis caused by inhalation of dust containing silica.
Mtsotso had no choice but to return home. He received around R60000 in a provident fund and retrenchment package, but it wasn’t enough to provide for his family. He also received around R760 a month from the UIF for nine months.
Mtsotso was luckier than many of the 300 odd ex-miners who had gathered in the Ngcobo town hall to tell Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Godfrey Oliphant about their battle to claim their dues from the mines.
The deputy minister was invited to engage with them on how they could get their money. Some said they filled in forms several times and were yet to receive a cent.
“My children are starving,” an emotional Mtsotso told Oliphant inside the packed town hall.
“Silicosis is incurable, unlike TB.”
Mtsotso later told the Dispatch that most of the money he had received had been spent on doctors in Mthatha and East London trying to control his condition.
The deputy minister revealed that there was a sum of about R1.5-billion lying unclaimed in state coffers. This included insurance claims, UIF and provident fund money. “We have 1400 people on our database that we are trying to trace,” he said.
Oliphant said many ex-miners had been ripped off by unscrupulous individuals pretending to be represent them. As a result the government preferred to deal directly with claimants. “ is a futile exercise. We don’t use third parties.”
Nzwana Qotoyi, 65, worked in the mines from 1976 to 1987. He quit because of ethnic violence.
He received R2400 in UIF over a few months. He has been trying for years to get the rest of his money. “I tried working as a security guard last year in Ngcobo but I was told I was too old and they let me go,” said the father of six.
Noncedo Hloyi, a mother of six, received R400 monthly as a contribution for her children's education from mine bosses when her miner husband died in 2002. But the funds stopped abruptly after two years without any explanation.
Two years ago, former deputy president Kgalema Montlanthe set up a one-stop-shop in Mthatha to proved health and social services for all Eastern Cape ex-miners.
But they told Oliphant yesterday they couldn't afford to travel to Mthatha to be screened by doctors to enable them to apply for their money from the government.
Oliphant said his department would work with the department of health to bring doctors to their towns so that they did not have to travel long distances.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos