Former EC miners urged to check eligibility for compensation

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Tshiamiso Trust

The Tshiamiso Trust, which is working with former mine workers and their families to claim compensation for permanent lung damage or work-related TB, is urging potential beneficiaries to urgently contact the organisation.

This is to check if they are eligible to lodge a claim to be compensated for permanent lung damage from silicosis or work-related TB.

The CEO of the Trust, Dr. Munyadziwa Kwinda, said the Eastern Cape province holds the highest concentration of Tshiamiso Trust claim lodgements and payments in South Africa.

He said a total of R516 million was already paid to 5,443 eligible beneficiaries from the province, and many more set to potentially benefit.  

"We urge all ex-mineworkers or their families where a mineworker has passed away, to lodge their claims at their nearest TEBA office.

“Time is of the essence, and we want to ensure that we afford an opportunity to all eligible claimants to lodge and receive the compensation that is due to them.”

Dr Kwinda said there were currently over 1,400 former mineworkers who urgently need to be scheduled for Benefit Medical Examinations (BMEs) with their medical service provider there.

He said BMEs are crucial to determine the presence of a Qualifying Disease and the extent of lung damage if the mineworker has a Qualifying Disease.

“We are also struggling to reach many claimants who need to submit additional documentation,” he added.

To lodge a claim:

• Mineworkers must have carried out risk work at one of the qualifying gold mines during the qualifying periods between 12 March 1965 and 10 December 2019, as indicated in schedule F of the Trust Deed.
• Living mineworkers must have permanent lung impairment from silicosis or TB that they contracted while doing risk work at these mines.
• For deceased mineworkers, there must either be evidence that they died from work-related TB within a year of leaving the mine if it’s a TB claim, OR evidence that they had silicosis or died from silicosis if it’s a silicosis claim.