Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
RELIEF is finally on the horizon for hundreds of ex-Wenela workers after years of waiting, as the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) is set to sign a crucial Memorandum of Understanding with South Africa’s Tshiamiso Trust tomorrow.
The deal will open the door for payment of long-awaited compensation to Zimbabweans who toiled in South African gold mines decades ago and later suffered from diseases such as silicosis and tuberculosis.
Confirming the development during the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare’s strategic planning workshop in Bulawayo, the ministry’s Director for Labour, Clemence Vusani, said the signing marks a turning point.
“NSSA will be signing the MoU with Tshiamiso Trust tomorrow and this sets the stage for payment for the ex-Wenela workers. Those with relatives suffering from diseases acquired while working there will be advised where to take them for testing. All information will be shared through various media outlets,” said Vusani.
The agreement gives Tshiamiso Trust the green light to manage claims, conduct medical tests and roll out compensation to eligible former mineworkers and their dependants.
At least 1 000 Zimbabweans who worked in the South African gold mines from the 1960s to the 1980s under the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (Wenela) are expected to benefit.
Payments will range from R10 000 to R500 000 per person, depending on the severity of the illness and settlement terms.
The payout covers those who worked for mining giants such as Anglo American, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater and others between March 12, 1965 and December 10, 2019.
Tshiamiso Trust was formed in 2020 after a historic class action victory in South Africa’s High Court. The trust has already paid over R1 billion to more than 11 000 claimants from countries like Malawi, and now Zimbabwe’s turn has come.
For many former miners and their families, tomorrow’s signing could finally mean justice, dignity and long-awaited relief.
