CAPE TOWN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- South African Parliament on Friday welcomed a historic multi-billion-rand settlement in a long-drawn silicosis case, saying justice has finally prevailed.
Although coming late, the settlement will bring to end a class action case in the history of mining in South Africa, Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources said.
The settlement should set an example for future claims to be expedited because the current victory came after many of these workers have died, committee chairperson Sahlulele Luzipo said.
Earlier on Friday, a full bench of the High Court in Johannesburg approved the settlement of 5 billion rand (about 357 million U.S. dollars) in the silicosis case involving gold miners affected by lung diseases since 1965.
The settlement agreement is regarded as one of the most complex multi-party class action settlements ever concluded in South Africa.
The agreement covers eligible mineworkers in the gold industry suffering from silicosis, an occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust, and/or tuberculosis, from March 12, 1965 to date.
Under the settlement, thousands of claimants will be paid out between 70,000 rand (about 5,000 dollars) and 500,000 rand (about 36,000 dollars) each, depending on the category they fall into.
The six mining companies paying out are African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American SA, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye Stillwater. The companies admitted that they failed to take the necessary precautions to protect their employees in the past.
