Tshiamiso wraps up Lesotho outreach

The Tshiamiso Trust says it has paid out compensation worth M859,000,106 to 9,366 Basotho claimants since 2019, as part of its mandate to compensate former mineworkers suffering from silicosis and tuberculosis.

Over the past three weeks, the Trust conducted an extensive outreach programme across seven districts – Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Teyateyaneng, Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing – walking alongside former gold mineworkers and their families in pursuit of long-delayed justice.

The campaign concluded on August 12 in Quthing, where thousands of ex-miners and dependants turned up to seek assistance.

“We reached over 12,500 people, and the overwhelming turnout meant some could not be assisted on the day,” said Lusanda Jiya, Stakeholder Relations and Communication Executive at Tshiamiso.

Jiya explained that the Trust continues to face major challenges in processing claims, particularly for deceased mineworkers whose documentation is often incomplete.

“One of the most difficult issues is that many death certificates simply state ‘natural causes,’ which delays claims,” she said.

To address this, the Trust Deed was amended to allow families to submit additional medical proof. “We are helping them secure these documents so that no valid claim is left unfinished,” Jiya added.

She also noted that claims lodged using Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act (ODMWA) certificates cannot yet be certified.

The Trust has urged all potential claimants to reach out through its contact centre (+27 10 500 6186 from outside South Africa), TEBA lodgement offices, WhatsApp (+27 78 504 9004) or the Tshiamiso Trust Facebook page.

“The process is ongoing, and we are committed to ensuring every eligible claimant gets what they are due,” Jiya said.