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The South African mining industry’s response to COVID-19 has been comprehensive, collaborative and effective. This page provides an update on the Minerals Council’s approach, including our monthly dashboard, and the resources we make available to members and non-members alike.
COVID-19 will be with some for the foreseeable future, and we will continue to develop and implement leading practices to save lives and livelihoods. We will be guided by Standard Operating Procedures and in compliance with the DMRE Guidelines for a Mandatory Code of Practice on the Mitigation and Management of the COVID-19 Outbreak. We will continue to monitor and support vulnerable employees.
At work, we will continue to implement precautionary non-medical measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as screening and testing, social distancing, the wearing of masks and sanitising. More than that, companies will continue to provide education and communication to employees and community members around COVID-19, and how to prevent it. Our efforts to address the impact, and limit the spread of COVID-19, extend beyond the mine gate and are aimed at alleviating, where possible, the burden on public resources and providing support to communities.
Vaccines
The Minerals Council and our members are strongly supportive of government’s vaccine roll-out strategy. We will work closely with the DMRE and unions to achieve a smooth roll-out of vaccines at our mines and in mining communities, and to increase vaccine acceptance through education and communication.
We have offered our significant healthcare infrastructure and capacity to drive the vaccination process, and we hope to play a constructive role as designated points of care, particularly in those regions where there are clusters of mines and mining communities, and those remote regions where mining is the predominant economic activity. Our focus will not only be on ensuring that employees receive the vaccination, but also their families and communities.
![COVID-19 Vaccine posters English [icon]](/images/heading-we-choose-vaccination.png "#WeChooseVacciNation Together we can #BeatCovid")
Festive Season campaign
As South Africa prepares for the Festive Season, we call on all industry employees to play their part in meeting the challenge of Covid-19. Along with labour unions, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and UASA, the Minerals Council South Africa urges all employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as they have the opportunity to do so. It is also critical that we all continue to use the non-pharmaceutical measures that play a key role in restricting the spread of Covid-19, especially the use of masks, and proper ventilation in enclosed spaces.
Posters
Learn more about vaccines
The Minerals Council and mining unions have agreed that information and responsible communication is an important element in encouraging mining employees and communities to learn more about vaccines and to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity to do so. Together, #WeChooseVaccination.
Posters
COVID-19 Vaccine video
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![Any questions? [heading]](/images/video-why-vaccination-is-the-right-thing.jpg)
![Any questions? [heading]](/images/video-vaccine-myths.png)
MEDIA RELEASES
- Minerals Council plans VOOMA vaccination campaign 18 – 22 October 2021 13 October 2021
- Mining industry vaccination programme reaches milestone – 200,000 employees and contractors fully or partially vaccinated 23 September 2021
- Industry reaches vaccination milestone of +100,000 employee vaccinations 18 August 2021
- Minerals Council and labour unions support COVID-19 vaccination to save lives and livelihoods. 26 July 2021
- Minerals Council and labour unions committed to work together to address COVID-19 to save lives and livelihoods. 03 June 2021
![COVID-19 [icon]](/images/covid-19-cells.svg "COVID-19 [banner]")
Vooma Vaccination Week
In early October 2021, the Department of Health launched the national Vooma Vaccination campaign to get 17 million more South Africans vaccinated by Christmas. If we can achieve this as a nation, we can save the lives of 20,000 South Africans by the end of the year.
The Minerals Council South Africa Board has agreed to set an ambitious target of getting 80% of our workforce of 450,000 employees and contractors partially vaccinated by the end of October, and fully vaccinated by mid-December. We are calling on member companies to drive an industry vaccination campaign in the week of 18 to 22 October.
Fact sheet Media release
MESSAGE FROM MINERALS COUNCIL CEO, ROGER BAXTER AND HEAD: HEALTH, DR THUTHULA BALFOUR:
MINERALS COUNCIL SUPPORTS VOOMA VACCINATION CAMPAIGN (18 – 22 OCTOBER 2021)
The Minerals Council is aligned with government’s Vooma Vaccination drive and will intensify ongoing efforts by launching a focussed campaign from 18 to 22 October.
Says Minerals Council CEO, Roger Baxter: “Vaccines can literally mean the difference between life and death. For this reason, we and our members are supporting government’s Vooma vaccination campaign. We want as many of our employees and communities vaccinated as soon as possible in the interest of saving lives and livelihoods. We are all working together with our trade union partners and government to get the vaccine process rolled out as quickly as possible. We believe this is a significant step in the right direction.”
Dr Thuthula Balfour, Head: Health shares important information about the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
Click on the videos below
![Roger Baxter [video]](/images/thumbnails/videos/thumb-video-vooma-baxter.png)
Video message from Minerals Council CEO, Roger Baxter
![Dr Thuthula Balfour [video]](/images/thumbnails/videos/thumb-video-vooma-balfour.png)
Video message from Dr Thuthula Balfour, Head: Health
![Busting myths [heading]](/images/c19-h1-did-you-know.svg "Busting myths")
Consulting with Dr Balfour
Dr Balfour tells us more about the industry’s position on vaccines, why everyone has a role to play - at work, at home and in their communities - and why getting vaccinated is safe.
![Consulting with Dr Balfour [heading]](/images/industry-vax-thumbnail.jpg "Consulting with Dr Balfour")
![Busting myths [heading]](/images/c19-h1-busting-myths.svg "Busting myths")
MYTH: We don't know what is in the vaccines
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-fact.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
FACT: We do know what's in the vaccines
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-01.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
Vaccine manufactureres are required to declare their ingredients to SAHPRA before the vaccine is approved for use. Despite theories circulated on social media, they do not contain microchips or any form of tracking device. If they did contain such items SAHPRA will not authorize use of the vaccine.
Source: Department of Health
MYTH: You can test positive because of the vaccines
FACT: You cannot test positive because of the vaccines
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-02.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
There's no live virus in the vaccines, so it can't infect you. Basically the vaccines stiulates our immune system to produce antibodies which fight the virus when it enters your body.
Source: Department of Health
MYTH: There is a microchip in the vaccine
FACT: There is no microchip or tracking device of any kind in either vaccine
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-chip.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
Vaccine manufacturers are required to declare their ingredients to SAHPRA before the vaccine is approved for use. Despite theories circulated on social media, they do not contain microchips or any form of tracking device. If they did contain such items SAHPRA will not authorize use of the vaccine.
Source: Department of Health
MYTH: The vaccines will alter your DNA
FACT: The vaccines will not change your DNA
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-dna.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
The vaccine contains mRNA (messenger RNA). RNA is the messenger that carries and instruction from the DNA and stranslates it into protein. After mRNA has performed its function it gets into the muscle cell and then gets degraded. There is no change to the DNA.
Source: Department of Health
MYTH: I already had COVID-19, I will not benefit from taking the vaccine
FACT: I already had COVID-19, I can still benefit from the vaccine
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-thumb.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
We don't yet know how long natural immunity to COVID-19 lasts. Right now, it seems that getting COVID-19 more than once is not common, but there are still many questions that remain unanswered.
The CDC recommends that those who have had COVID-19 get the vaccine. There is preliminary evidence that the vaccine offers better protection than having had the virus.
Source: Department of Health
MYTH: 5G mobile networks spreads COVID-19
FACT: 5G mobile networks DO NOT spread COVID-19
![Fact [text]](/images/icon-myth-5g.png "Fact"){kind=icon}
Viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks. COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks.
COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. People can also be infected by touching a contaminated surface then their eyes, mouth or nose.
Source: Department of Health
REINFORCING HEALTHY AND SAFE BEHAVIOUR
MINING INDUSTRY OXYGEN RELIEF INITIATIVE IN THE EASTERN CAPE
- Media Release: Minerals Council and Eastern Cape government provide joint overview of mining industry’s oxygen relief initiative in the province, 16 September 2020
- RECORDING: Joint online media briefing by the government of the Eastern Cape and Minerals Council South Africa on the oxygen relief initiative in the province, 16 September 2020