| 2011 03 14 Former miners’ negligence and exposure claims ratcheting up against Anglo |
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Mining giant Anglo American has confirmed it has received 25 separate claims totalling just over R28m. The claims appear to be separate from those that the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) and Leigh Day & Co, based in London, are finalising to be tried next year.
"We are not aware of any additional claims," said Pranill Ramchander, Anglo American head of corporate communications. Anglo American maintained that it does not believe it is in any way liable for the silicosis claims brought by former gold mine workers and was defending the actions. "The claimants were employed by South African gold mining companies in which Anglo American had an interest of less than 25%. Anglo American maintains that these companies were responsible for the health and safety of their employees and took reasonable steps to protect them," he said. Ramchander was reacting to the LRC's claim last week that they were suing the mining giant for negligence, stemming from Anglo American's failure to inform miners about the possible dangers of contracting silicosis from exposure to silica. Sayi Nindi, an attorney at the LRC told The New Age that the centre was finalising about 18 claims to be tried and the overall amount claimed was likely to run into billions of rands. Human rights lawyer Richard Meeran of Leigh Day & Co, co-representing the miners, said they had received 18 test cases since 2004. Luphert Chilwane The New Age |