Mining to ramp up production under level 3
Mining companies are set to work their way up to full production when the country enters level 3 of the lockdown on Monday.
This was confirmed by Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe during a media briefing by the economic cluster of ministers in Pretoria on Friday.
“Under level three all deep mining operations are expected to ramp up to full capacity. This brings mining to full capacity of production. All mining operations must prioritise health and safety of the mine workers,” he said.
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa: Govt in discussions with restaurant owners
Under level four, mining production was only limited to 50% of the workforce, with the exception of open cast mining which continued at full production.
The reopening of the mining sector has raised concerns over the rate of infection that is expected to hit come Monday.
To date, 384 mine workers have been infected with Covid-19 since the resumption of production in the mining sector.
Anglo-Gold Ashanti mine in the Merafong sub-district was forced to temporarily close down earlier on the week, after it confirmed 164 cases of Covid-19.
However, Mantashe does not believe that the reopening of the mines was done in haste.
"We should've opened earlier and allowed mines to test earlier and allowed mines to discover positive cases earlier.”