The Minister of Employment and Labour, Ms. Nomakhosazana Meth, MP, together with Eastern Cape Premier, Mr. Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, have welcomed the disbursement of over R42-million in compensation and benefits to Eastern Cape ex-Mine workers and surviving beneficiaries, over a 41-day Outreach Programme, which commenced on 13 July 2026, at Port St. Johns.
Premier Mabuyane, himself a former mine worker in his youth, has passionately spearheaded the Ex-Mine Workers Programme alongside the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), through Project Ithubalethu, to ensure former mineworkers and their families receive their long-overdue compensation. To date, the initiative has disbursed over R42-million across the Eastern Cape. This financial injection represents a concrete effort by government to address the long-standing needs of former mine workers and their families, ensuring streamlined access to social security benefits, unpaid compensation, and statutory claims.
The Department of Employment and Labour, Eastern Cape Provincial Government, Department of Health, Ithubalethu Ex-Mine Workers Programme, South African Ex- Mineworkers Council, as well as Rand Mutual Assurance and South African Medical Association, held the Ex-Mine Workers roundtable at the Mthatha Health Resource Centre, located at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. The roundtable discussion and outreach programme in Mthatha served as a crucial platform to exchange information, share experiences, and report on progress made across the province.
Mr Sihle Mlangeni, representing the Embassy of eSwatini, attended the session as a representative of Labour, as part of the SADC delegation. During the engagements in Mthatha, Minister Meth, Premier Mabuyane, and departmental leadership met directly with ex-mine workers and beneficiaries, patiently moving along the snaking queues to greet and listen to their concerns, assess service delivery on the ground, and oversee the processing of claims via mobile Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation Fund units operating on-site. Additional services on-site included health screening, work-seeker registration for beneficiaries, social security services by Social Development and ID documentation by Home Affairs.
“Our priority remains clear: bringing stakeholders together, advancing justice for our workers, and delivering tangible results to vulnerable communities. The disbursement of over R42 million is a demonstration of our commitment to restoring dignity to ex-mine workers who contributed immensely to the economic backbone of this country,” said Minister Meth. Premier Mabuyane highlighted the personal significance of the initiative, emphasizing that the provincial government remains resolute in bringing restorative justice to former mineworkers who built the nation’s economy. The Premier thanked all the partners and officials for going the extra mile to service communities with diligence.
We appreciate the work of the teams who have demonstrated that you can go the extra mile to make a difference in the lives of people who desperately need the resources for their livelihoods, said Premier Mabuyane.
The Department emphasises that this initiative is an ongoing, long-term programme. Former mine workers and eligible family members or dependants are urged to visit their nearest Labour Centre or DEL service points to enquire, register, and process their unclaimed benefits and compensation claims. Mobile offices across South Africa and processing teams will continue maintaining an active presence in targeted districts across the Eastern Cape to ensure all eligible former workers
and families receive their rightful benefits.
The 41-day marathon of capturing and processing claims has seen great strides by all stakeholders. On the first day alone, on 13 July 2026, the Department of Employment and Labour paid out R1.4 million. Some of the claimants are old and frail, while some of the beneficiaries have lost their husbands and fathers due to occupational diseases such as Silicosis and TB.
This is a very important and much-needed programme for our people, who are most in need, and it will continue nationwide, said Minister Meth.