SA inquiry over 'poisoned' workers

Mine workers often face poor health and safety standards

A formal inquiry has begun into allegations that workers of a mining company in a remote part of South Africa have been poisoned through unsafe working practices.

The Swiss-owned Vantech company in Mpumalanga, 360 kilometres (225 miles) from Johannesburg, mines vanadium, a highly toxic mineral used in the production of steel.

We feel that it is the duty of the parent company to really convince themselves that their companies elsewhere in the world are operating in a very responsible manner

Union official

One quarter of the workforce is said to have been laid off within two years through illnesses, such as bronchitis and asthma.

Unions representing the workforce say workers have been sacrificed for profit and are planning to sue Vantech for millions of dollars.

A union official told the BBC: "We feel that it is the duty of the parent company to really convince themselves that their companies elsewhere in the world are operating in a very responsible manner."

Shocking

According to BBC correspondent Franz Kruger, the inspectors findings are shocking.

He said the government inquiry had found workers at the plant exposed to 31 times the accepted level of vanadium.

But Vantech, which is owned by Swiss firm Xstrata, says it is doing nothing wrong and is disputing the inspectors' findings, including the number of people laid off for health reasons.

General manager Chris Smith told the BBC: "We have clearly stated on various occasions we are committed to a health and safety environment and we are in a continuous programme of improvement."

Our correspondent says about 100 protestors gathered in Mpumalanga as the inquiry began.