By BONGANI FUZILE
Close to 200 former employees of a Dimbaza steelmaking company have allegedly died from illnesses related to their work at the facility.
Between 2000 and 2011, 138 Scaw Metals Group employees who worked at the Dimbaza Foundries plant, have reportedly died while a further 41 died since the factory closed its doors in 2011.
The plant, which manufactured steel for mining and other projects around the globe, mostly employed workers from Dimbaza township and areas surrounding King William’s Town.
The allegations are contained in the handwritten notes of a former employee who has been documenting the deaths of the factory workers since 2000.
Gcinikhaya Nxitywa, a former crane operator who worked at the factory for more than 10 years, alleges that a total of 179 men and women – all employees of the company – have died.
He also has the names of other former employees who are “on their death beds”.
Nxitywa, who left the company in July 2010, became suspicious when he started noticing how many former employees – many of whom were his friends – were dying.
He now wants compensation for the victims and their families.
But Scaw spokeswoman Dudu Ndlovu said while they were aware of the “claims”, they were untrue.
Nxitywa said he knew nothing of the compensation.
“Who are those people who were compensated? How much was paid to them?” he asked. “We are talking about the dead people here. We are talking about dying people and their families.”
Ndlovu said the company could not respond to any allegations prior to 2008.
“Scaw implemented the necessary safety and health measures to protect employees against the risk of injury and occupational diseases such as the wearing of the correct personal protective equipment,” she said.
Ndlovu said the company had launched an investigation and according to company records, there were no pending claims and no reportable diseases in respect of previous employees.
“We did annual medical checks. Any health impacts detected were referred to medical specialists. All employees who exit the company for whatever reason, are subject to undergo a medical exit test.”
Nxitywa accused the company of not caring.
“They did not care about the long-term effects posed to the health of their employees even though workers complain about their unfavourable working conditions,” he said, adding he was planning to soon consult with attorneys on