Four years since its establishment, the Tshiamiso Trust has disbursed R2-billion to former gold mineworkers and their families who have met the criteria for silicosis and work-related tuberculosis (TB) compensation.

This milestone represents a positive impact on more than 21 200 families and marks the largest payout ever made by a compensation organisation in this sector.

“This milestone is a collective victory. It is through the remarkable collaboration of all our stakeholders that we have accomplished something unprecedented. Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of those who have suffered due to the working conditions they endured.

“A special thank you goes to the trust ambassadors who [went] beyond the call of duty to make this milestone possible,” Tshiamiso Trust CEO Dr Munyadziwa Kwinda said on February 27.

In addition to reaching the R2-billion payout threshold, the trust has made several significant strides in enhancing its service offerings and expanding its geographical reach in the past quarter.

Thanks to the trust, benefit medical examination services are now available in Botswana, extending trust services to claimants across South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Botswana.

Also, a successful pilot project in Zimbabwe has paved the way for the official launch of claim lodgement and benefit medical examination services, bringing vital services closer to those in need.

Additionally, progress has been made in discussions with the Malawian government will enable future service provision, broadening the trust's reach.

An amendment to the trust deed now allows the acceptance of the medical certificate of cause of death in the notice of death, simplifying the claims process for dependants and resolving challenges related to ‘natural causes’ stated on death certificates.

Also, benefits have been adjusted in line with the consumer price index, safeguarding the economic value of compensation against inflation.

Further, claimants now have 120 days to dispute claim outcomes, ensuring ample time for claimants to log a dispute.

The geographical distribution of claims highlights the trust's impact across the region, with Lesotho seeing the highest concentration of payments at 40%, followed by the Eastern Cape in South Africa at 27%.

To date, 8 799 Lesotho claims have been paid out, amounting to R799-million, and 5 559 Eastern Cape claims have been compensated, valued at R531-million.

Despite these significant advancements, the trust acknowledged that challenges remain.

For instance, delays in the certification process are complicated by factors such as missing documentation, which has stalled thousands of claims owing to the unavailability of essential documentation needed for certification.

Many claimants are also unreachable using the contact information they provided, which prevents claim updates and scheduling of benefit medical examinations.

Further, complexities in the interpretation of the trust deed have affected claims using National Institute for Occupational Health post-mortem or autopsy reports to determine the primary cause of death, claims using the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act certificates as evidence of compensable disease and lung function impairment, as well as claims for living mineworkers who had TB previously.

"With four years remaining to fulfil our mandate, we are focused on overcoming these obstacles and ensuring that every eligible individual receives their due compensation.

“We remain committed to transparency, efficiency, and the continued collaboration with our stakeholders. Our efforts will not waver until we reach as many settling claimants as is reasonably possible,” Kwinda said.