The largest individual claim is R10.2m, and the smallest is just under R1m.
In papers before the Johannesburg High Court, 12 of the miners say they were dismissed from work because they contracted lung-related illnesses which made them unable to continue working. They are claiming for the loss of income, aggravated by their inability to find alternative work due to age, illness, poor education and lack of qualifications.
"The plaintiffs have suffered permanent physical impairment. Such impairment includes shortness of breath, generalised weakness, chronic chest discomfort, tiredness and disturbed sleep," states the miners’ particulars of claim before the court." One of the principle hazards to which they were exposed was noxious coal dust that cause lung diseases such as coal workers' pneumoconiosis and chronic pulmonary disease . These diseases can lead to respiratory symptoms such as a persistent cough and shortness of breath, resulting in a reduced ability to perform physical tasks. These can eventually develop into progressive massive fibrosis , which reduces life expectancy.
The miners argue that Sasol Coal should have known of these health hazards, and through dust sampling and measurement should have been aware of the quantities of coal dust to which miners were exposed. Routine medical surveillance, if undertaken, would have established whether miners were at risk from the levels of dust in the underground mines.In its reply, Sasol argues that the matter has prescribed – meaning it is now too late to bring before the court.
Sasol's court papers show several of the miners were dismissed for illegal strike action, and some had received medical compensation once their conditions had been diagnosed. One of the miners has since died. In other cases, workers' medical conditions were deemed not severe enough for compensation. Some of the miners had previously worked at other mines, which may have aggravated their medical conditions.
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