ZIMBABWEAN workers who contracted respiratory diseases while working in South African mines will have to wait longer to get compensation, as the organisation facilitating the release of their funds has asked for additional details which are hard to find.
Tshiamiso Trust, which is handling claims by workers who used to be employed by African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold and Sibanye-Stillwater, recently wrote to the Ex-Wenela Miners Association of Zimbabwe asking that they provide industrial numbers.
An industrial number is a mining industry identity which workers were given immediately after being confirmed to be fit for employment.
Many lost the cards bearing details and have to follow a lengthy process to obtain them.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, ex-Wenela Miners Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Lungelwe Mkhwananzi said indications are that, from the potential beneficiaries, only about two percent have the required details at hand.
“You may remember that Zimbabwe, Namibia and Malawi have not had miners at Wenela from around 1983.