An analysis of the South African Legal Framework in Relation to Health Risk Mitigation in the Mining Sector

Abstract

The extraction of mineral resources forms the bedrock of South Africa’s economy, contributing to employment, the country’s GDP and overall socio-economic development. And yet, this extraction has substantial environmental and human health costs. Over the years, South Africa has built a comprehensive legislative framework regulating environmental management, the exploitation of mineral and petroleum resources and the industry’s occupational health and safety standards. Nonetheless, the mining industry continues to expose employees to risks and hazardous conditions exceeding the occupational exposure limits. This demonstrates how the South African mining industry often prioritises production over health risk mitigation measures, leading to a high prevalence of occupational illnesses and unfavourable working Conditions. This study analyses the existing corpus of environmental and mining legislation to determine the extent to which it addresses health risk mitigation within South Africa’s mining industry.