Ex-Wenela workers to know payment dates for compensation on Wednesday

Theseus Shambare

FORMER Wenela mineworkers and their dependants are set to find out payment dates for compensation on Wednesday, as staff from the Tshiamiso Trust jet in for the rollout of the long-awaited programme.

At least 1 000 Zimbabweans who worked in South African gold mines from the 1960s to the 1980s under the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (Wenela) are set to benefit from the compensation scheme for silicosis and tuberculosis contracted while on duty.

The milestone will coincide with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Government, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and the Tshiamiso Trust, which will formally authorise the trust to fully operate in Zimbabwe.

The agreement will provide the legal framework for the trust to manage claims, conduct medical assessments and disburse payments to eligible former mineworkers and their dependants, ensuring a smooth and transparent rollout of the compensation process.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Simon Masanga described the development as a historic milestone for Zimbabwe’s former mineworkers.

“This is a milestone moment for ex-Wenela mineworkers. Thousands of men and their families who worked in South African mines and returned home with work-related illnesses will soon access the compensation they have been waiting for,” he said.

He said the Government was actively engaging Tshiamiso Trust to ensure the operationalisation of the payment process.

“We are working closely with the trust to make sure that all systems are in place for a smooth and timely rollout.

“This includes coordination on medical assessments, verification of eligibility and disbursement of payments,” he said.

Eligible workers will receive payments ranging from R10 000 to R500 000 per individual, depending on the severity of the illness and terms of the settlement.

Mr Masanga said dependants of deceased mineworkers who meet the criteria will also benefit.

The programme will cover former employees of major mining companies, including African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold and Sibanye-Stillwater.

Workers who carried out risky work between March 12, 1965 and December 10, 2019 and were diagnosed with silicosis before December 2021 or contracted tuberculosis while employed or within a year of leaving the mines qualify for compensation.

Tshiamiso Trust, established in 2020 following a successful class action lawsuit in South Africa’s High Court in 2019, manages the compensation process.

The trust has already paid over R1 billion to settle more than 11 000 claims from ex-workers from other countries such as Malawi, highlighting the scale and significance of the programme regionally.

Mr Masanga urged potential claimants to remain wary of intermediaries promising to accelerate claims.

“Only the Tshiamiso Trust is authorised to process these claims. Our focus is on a transparent, fair and efficient rollout that delivers justice to our former mineworkers and their families,” he said.

Ex-Wenela Miners Information Trust chairperson Mr Charles Nyawasha welcomed the move.

“In short, we are very happy that at last our Government has heard our plea by granting Tshiamiso Trust permission for this process to start,” he said.

“This is important because our fellow ex-Wenela miners can finally get the opportunity to make contact with Tshiamiso Trust, the organisation established to fulfil terms of the class action the court agreed upon way back in 2018,” he said.

Mr Nyawasha added that the programme marks long-overdue recognition of the sacrifices and hardships endured by Zimbabwean mineworkers.

“Our members have waited decades for this moment. We urge all ex-mineworkers and their families to prepare their documents and make use of the services that will soon be available,” he said.

The launch of the compensation programme is expected to provide relief, dignity and recognition to Zimbabwe’s former mineworkers, who laboured under hazardous conditions and have long waited for justice.