Government pushes for legislation to prevent mine disasters

Sikhumbuzo Moyo recently in Hwange

In a bid to prevent the recurrence of the horrific 1972 Kamandama Mine disaster that saw 427 lives lost, the Government shall continue to craft responsive laws that will ensure a significant reduction to human fatalities and injuries at the workplace.

Speaking during his keynote address at the Kamandama Mine Disaster commemorations in Madumabisa, Hwange on Thursday, the Minister of State for provincial Affairs in Matabeleland North Richard Moyo said the Kamandama disaster will forever remain in the minds of the nation hence the importance of companies and various employers to draw lessons from “this dark day in our nation’s history”.

“As the Government of Zimbabwe we will not allow a repeat of a Kamandama at Hwange Colliery Company Limited or anywhere else, by this we continue to craft responsive laws that will ensure a significant reduction to human fatalities and injuries at the workshop through the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme ‘TSP’.

I am glad that Hwange Colliery Company has also made significant strides to prevent a recurrence of the disaster through adoption of Integrated Business Management Systems (IBMS) that have allowed the incorporation of risk-based thinking in all the processes you have from mining your services and departments. I urge the company to not only craft and come up with good policies but go above and beyond to implement these diligently so that every employee remains safe at this company, “said Minister Moyo.

The minister urged the mining company to ensure that compliance to national and international legal and best practice instruments is being religiously monitored.

Minister Moyo called on HCCL as well as other mining establishments in the Hwange district to assist in developing the community through corporate social investments. 

“The people and communities in which you operate should benefit from your activities in terms of local employment, developmental projects and they should also have a stake in the business,” said Minister Moyo. 

He said the Government will continue to support the operations of the company.

“The office of the Government mining engineer has a major task of ensuring that all mines in the district adhere to strict safety regulations, one injury is one too much for our country, therefore the issue of lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in workplaces should be addressed by employers expeditiously,” said Minister Moyo.

The commemorations were attended by local chiefs, Chief Whange, Chief Nekatambe, Chief Nelukoba and Chief Shana. Also in attendance was the ZRP officer commanding Matabeleland North province Commissioner Patton Mbangwa.