National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Deputy President Duncan Luvuno has urged mineworkers to unite across union lines and put safety and health first, saying no life should be lost because of division in the workplace.Luvuno was addressing employees during a Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Campaign at Harmony Gold Mine in Doornkop, west of Johannesburg, on Saturday. The event, attended by workers, union representatives and health professionals, aimed to raise awareness about TB and other occupational diseases that continue to affect mineworkers.He stressed that unity is crucial, particularly when it comes to safety underground. “We must move away from saying, this is NUM and that is AMCU,” said Luvuno. “When someone dies underground, it’s not about which union they belonged to — it’s a human life lost.”Luvuno added that the NUM’s National Executive Committee has committed itself to intensifying health awareness campaigns and ensuring that TB is eradicated in all mining workplaces.“We commit that we will end TB. We will defeat it,” he said.He also said commemorating TB awareness days goes beyond just health education it’s about remembering the lives lost to both disease and mining accidents. “It’s not only TB that we commemorate; we also remember fatalities. Every death is a reminder that safety must come first,” Luvuno said.The mining industry remains one of the hardest hit by occupational diseases such as tuberculosis, silicosis, and chronic respiratory illnesses. Long hours underground, exposure to dust, and inadequate ventilation have made miners particularly vulnerable to these conditions.NUM Gauteng Regional Deputy Chairperson Nelson Kgeba echoed the call for early testing, especially among men, who often delay seeking medical attention.“Most men in the industry only go for check-ups during mandatory medical inductions,” said Kgeba. “That’s why we are out here — to encourage them to get tested early and know their TB status.”He said regular health screenings should not only focus on TB but also on other diseases such as HIV, diabetes, and hypertension, which are common in mining communities. “A healthy worker is a safe worker. When we take care of our health, we also protect our families and our colleagues,” he added.
