South Africa is looking to reduce the number of deaths at mining operations across the country by 20 per cent per year by 2013, it has been announced.

The country's Chamber of Mines has said that, if South Africa is to compete on the world stage as a mining powerhouse, it must seek to significantly reduce the death toll from mining accidents.

"To be world class by 2013, an annual milestone of reducing fatality rates by at least 20 per cent a year is needed," insisted Chamber of Mines Chief Executive, Zoli Diliza.

"Mining is dangerous, but this is no excuse for harming people," AFP reports him as saying.

His comments were made in a report on sustainable development within the mining industry which put a clear focus on the importance in tackling the death toll within the sector.

The report comes at a crucial time for the mining industry, after both Anglo Platinum and Northam Platinum have this week had to shut down some of their operations because of fatal accidents at their plants.

Source:

S Africa targets 20 percent cut in mining deaths, 18/10/07
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCUUUfd6Mp9FIPdsxnypg45JKa7w

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