Makhura calls on mining houses to increase testing amid Covid-19 surge
Gauteng Premier David Makhura says testing at mining houses should be mandatory as screening alone is not enough.
Makhura met with mining companies on the West Rand on Wednesday.
This comes after AngloGold Ashanti's Mponeng Mine recorded 164 cases of the virus, bringing the number of cases in the area to 286.
Makhura was speaking at Sibanye-Stillwater in Carltonville a mine which also recorded 7 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
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"All these mining houses are here. So it's AngloGold Ashanti, we also have Harmony, we have Goldfield and we have Sibanye [Stillwater].
"We met with all of them, together with the Department of mineral resources and energy firstly to assess what they have put in place," Makhura said.
Makhura says screening workers is not enough.
"We want to add testing, so screening alone is not enough with the mining houses.
"We want them to be able to test all the workers."
Makhura says, fortunately, other mining houses positive cases are low and testing continues.
"Fortunately, with the other mining houses, they've had very, very few cases. Goldfields has tested their 100 and all of them came back negative. They moved on to the second and only one came back negative.
"They are continuing to od the testing. Sibanye had 7 cases, in fact, their cases are not just in Gauteng.
"Three of those have already recovered."
The West Rand has been declared a Covid-19 hotspot.