Mining fatalities in South Africa’s formal mining industry totalled 42 people last year, down from 55 people in 2023, 49 people in 2022, and 74 people in 2021.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2025 in Cape Town on Tuesday, Minerals Council South Africa safety and sustainable development head Dushen Naidoo said the long-term trend was encouraging, especially from the 270 fatalities recorded in 2003.

Minerals Council CEO Zero Harm Forum chairperson Japie Fullard noted that all mining CEOs active in South Africa understood that 42 fatalities were 42 too many, and that the ultimate goal had to be zero.

He added that injuries in the mining sector numbered 1 841 people in 2024 – 16% down from 2 181 people in 2023.

“If we bring injuries down, fatalities will also come down.”

South Africa’s mining sector was battling high energy costs and a strained logistics system, among other challenges.

Fullard said a declining mining environment typically saw a higher incidence rate, which required focusing on “people’s mindset more than ever”.

Minerals Council health head Dr Thuthula Balfour noted that the South African mining industry had also seen “massive reductions” in the three key diseases tracked by the Council – TB, silicosis, and noise induced hearing loss – over the past number of years.

Silicosis and TB diagnoses were down by more than 80% over the past 15 years, with a 55% decline in noise-induced hearing loss.

TB remained an issue in the gold mining sector, however, with the incidences of TB above the national average of 220 per 100 000 people.

In the overall mining sector, incidences of TB were half the national average.