KEY POINTS
- AMCU reported the death of a fourth Sibanye-Stillwater worker this year, a winch operator found with a severe head injury at the Beatrix gold mine in the Free State on September 21.
- The union said South Africa’s national mining fatality toll stands at 52 so far in 2026, and that the cause of the Beatrix incident remains under investigation.
- AMCU renewed its call to limit outsourcing of core mine work and urged amendments to the Mine Health and Safety Act to hold mine executives personally accountable.
South Africa’s Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union has renewed its call to limit the outsourcing of core mine work after reporting the death of a fourth Sibanye-Stillwater worker this year.
According to AMCU, a mineworker was found with a severe head injury at the Beatrix gold mine in the Free State on September 21. Specifically, the union said the man worked directly for Sibanye as a winch operator. Moreover, AMCU said the cause remains unclear and that it awaits the outcome of an investigation into all underlying and contributing factors.
A rising national toll
The death adds to a sobering tally. Notably, AMCU said it brings the number of Sibanye fatalities this year to four, against a national mining fatality figure of 52 so far in 2026. According to the union, the pattern underscores persistent safety gaps across the sector.
The figures land amid wider concern over conditions underground. Consequently, AMCU has tied its safety demands to the way mining companies structure their workforces, arguing that reliance on contractors sits at the heart of the problem.
Union presses for reform
The union sharpened its long-standing position on outsourcing. According to AMCU, core mining work should be done by directly employed mineworkers, with contractors used only for genuinely specialised tasks beyond a mine’s permanent workforce. Furthermore, it warned that outsourcing can create gaps in accountability, supervision, training, experience and safety standards.
AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa pushed for legislative change. According to Mathunjwa, lawmakers must amend the Mine Health and Safety Act to strengthen enforcement and hold mine bosses personally accountable when failures expose workers to preventable harm. Additionally, he called for tougher action on the disparity between practices at mines and those at subcontractors operating on the same sites. Ultimately, the union framed better enforcement as essential to preventing further loss of life underground.
