News

While the Tshiamiso Trust is only able to assist the mineworkers (or their families if the mineworker is deceased) who worked at specific gold mines, during specific periods, and got sick from silicosis or work-related TB due to risk work exposure, other stakeholders may be able to assist:

• Former mineworkers from other mines
• Retired or retrenched members of the Mineworkers Provident Fund
• Former mineworkers who were discharged from mines when they resigned, were dismissed, or were discharged due to medical incapacity or ill-health, as well as
• Beneficiaries of members of the Mineworkers Provident Fund who are no longer working or have since passed away.

The initiative is led by the Mineworkers Provident Fund and includes other stakeholders such as Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (MBOD), Compensation Commissioner (CCOD), South African Miners Association (SAMA), IPC and SARW, alongside the Office of the Premier in the Eastern Cape and the Eastern Cape Department of Health.

Realeboha Shale, Outreach Manager for the Tshiamiso Trust, explains: “For us, the purpose of this initiative is to make the Tshiamiso Trust more accessible to claimants who would otherwise need to travel for lodgement and Benefit Medical Examinations (BMEs). We have also deployed eight official Community Assistants and additional BME facilities that will be on rotation throughout the Eastern Cape for the foreseeable future. It is very important to us that all eligible claimants receive the benefits that are due to them, and we are committed to deliver services and pay our claimants while operating within the stringent terms of the Trust Deed.

Frans Phakgadi, Acting CEO and Principal Officer from the Mineworker’s Provident Fund, adds: “Moreover, the goal of the roadshow and collective efforts of the stakeholders is to locate and pay out over R300 million in unclaimed benefits to ex-mineworkers or their beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape. MWPF is in possession of approximately R2.7 billion of unclaimed benefits belonging to members who left the Fund without claiming their benefits. The Fund, together with its Trustees, is thus on a mission to significantly reduce this number and as such have collaborated with various stakeholders to ensure that this objective is achieved not only in South Africa but also in the SADC region”.

The Unpaid Benefits Roadshow dates and locations are as follows:

AREAS	DATE	VENUE
Matatiele	29 Aug – 31 Aug	Matatiele Town Hall, 111 High St, Matatiele
Ntabankulu Mount Frere	01 Sep – 03 Sep	Ntabankulu Multi Purpose Hall, ERF 24 Main St, Ntabankulu
Lusikisiki Flagstaff Bizana	04 Sep – 06 Sep	Ingquza Hill Local Municipality, 135 Main St, CBD, Flagstaff
Mqanduli Mthatha Libode Ngqeleni	07 Sep -10 Sep	Mthatha Town Hall, Mthatha Town
Idutywa Willowvale	11 Sep – 12 Sep	Xhora Town Hall, Xhora
Engcobo	13 Sep -14 Sep	Engcobo Indoor Sport Centre

Please note the following:

• To claim is FREE. You do not need to pay anyone to help you to submit a claim. Please be VERY careful about who you give your documents and information to.
• The claims process takes time and you will need to be patient. If anyone says that they can help you speed up the process, it is most likely a scam.