News

TSHIAMISO TRUST JOINS EFFORTS TO GET UNCLAIMED BENEFITS TO KZN BENEFICIARIES

January 23, 2023

Johannesburg, 23 January 2023: The Tshiamiso Trust is joining other stakeholders on a roadshow to parts of Kwazulu-Natal from 23 January – 4 February 2023. The initiative is aimed at enabling access to benefits; allowing eligible claimants in Vryheid, Ulundi and Pongola and surrounding areas to lodge their claims and undergo Benefit Medical Examinations (BMEs) if necessary.

The outreach is part of government`s efforts to track, trace and pay former mineworkers’ social benefits.

“While the Tshiamiso Trust has received 106,430 claims to date, only 3,887 of these are from KwaZuluNatal, and several of these claimants are awaiting their BMEs. With a limited footprint in the region, we hope that this outreach initiative will allow greater access to KZN claimants in these areas,” says Realeboha Shale, Outreach Manager for the Tshiamiso Trust.

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 have permanent impairment from silicosis or work-related TB due to risk work exposure.

Tshiamiso Trust was established to give effect to the settlement agreement reached between six mining companies and claimant attorneys in the historic silicosis and TB class action. The companies are African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye Stillwater and Gold Fields.

It should be noted that the R5 billion settlement agreement for silicosis and TB falls outside of any government compensation programme and is administered solely by the Tshiamiso Trust, with the help of its accredited service providers. The Trust has so far paid over R945 million to over 10 500 claimants.

Shale explains: “It is very important to us that all eligible claimants receive the benefits that are due to them. We are committed to delivering services and paying our claimants while operating within the stringent terms of the Trust Deed.

The Tshiamiso Trust would also like to urge claimants to be very careful when sharing their personal information, to avoid paying anybody to help them with their claim, and to not fall victim to those who may seek to take advantage.

The Roadshow dates and locations are as follows:

AREAS	DATE	VENUE
Vryheid, eDumbe & surrounds	23 Jan – 24 Jan 08:00 – 16:00	Vryheid Hospital & eDumbe Community Health Centre
Ulundi & surrounds	26 Jan – 27 Jan 08:00 – 16:00	Nkonjeni Hospital
Pongola & surrounds	30 Jan – 4 Feb 08:00 – 16:00	Itshelejuba Hospital
Nongoma, Usuthu, Mandlakazi, Matheni & surrounds	1 Feb – 2 Feb 08:00 – 16:00	Benedictine Hospital

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.