Can I claim my late father’s position in the mine he was working for before he was injured in the 1990s?

The long answer

You will remember the tragic accident at Sibanye Stillwater’s Kloof Ikamva shaft in 2018, where many miners lost their lives. There were 20 deaths at Sibanye Stillwater in 2018. Sibanye said then that they would employ members of the late miners’ families so that the families could still earn an income, and that family members would be assessed for health and skills. 

But this applied specifically to the family members of those miners who were killed in the Kloof Ikamva shaft accident. It does not apply to family members like yourself whose late father worked for the mine in the 1990s. I don’t think that you will be able to claim a job on that basis. 

The TEBA Bank where your father used to work is now called the Ubank since 2000, and perhaps you could approach them to find out if there are any vacancies that you could apply for. It may be worth a try.

These are their contact details:

• The call centre on 0860 008 322;
•  General enquiries email: customercare@ubank.co.za.

You could also visit the nearest Ubank branch and ask about a job. 

At Sibanye Stillwater itself, they have an online recruitment account where you can see what jobs are available if you are able to access it online at: https://sbsess.sibanyestillwater.com/Account/recruitment.

You could also approach the Human Resources Department at Sibanye and ask them about job opportunities, and tell them that your father used to work for the mine before he was injured. (Their online profile says that the average Sibanye Stillwater General Worker's monthly pay in South Africa is approximately R12,197, which is 76% above the national average.)

These are the Sibanye-Stillwater details from their website:

1. Address: 1 Hospital Road, Libanon, 1780 Westonaria, South Africa;

2. http://www.sibanyestillwater.com/;

3. 011 278 9600.

Wishing you the best,
Athalie