Tshiamiso Trust Launches Major Outreach Campaign for Basotho Ex-Gold Miners Affected by Silicosis and TB

Tshiamiso Trust is proud to announce the launch of a focused outreach campaign in Lesothothroughout July and August 2025, aimed at bringing compensation services closer to Basotho former mineworkerswho suffer from permanent lung damage caused by occupational diseases—silicosis and work-related tuberculosis (TB).

To date, 9,271 Basotho claimants and their families have received over L848 million in compensation, but thousands more are still eligible and waiting. This campaign seeks to assist 2,647 Basotho claimants who need to complete their Benefit Medical Examinations (BMEs) and encourages new claims, document submissions, and updates to claimant information.

“The Trust looks forward to assisting as many claimants in Lesotho as possible,” said Dr. Munyadziwa Kwinda, CEO of Tshiamiso Trust. “Our services now allow for both new claim lodgements and BMEs to be done on the same day—making the process faster and more accessible for everyone involved.”

Outreach Schedule – Phase 1 (Lowlands Focus)

• Butha-Buthe – 21 & 22 July @ TEBA offices
• Leribe – 23 & 24 July
• Teyateyaneng (TY) – 25 & 26 July
• Maseru – 28 to 31 July
• Mafeteng – 1, 2, 4–7 August
• Mohale’s Hoek – 8 & 9 August
• Quthing – 11 & 12 August

📍 Phase 2 (covering Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, and Thaba-Tseka) will be scheduled later due to harsh winter conditions in the highlands.

To manage crowding, the first day in each location is for miners who left gold mines before 1995, and the second day for those who worked after 1996.

Stay updated via the Tshiamiso Trust Facebook page:

@Tshiamiso Trust – Silicosis Settlement

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💡 What You Need to Know

• BMEs are a vital part of the claims process. They assess permanent lung damage caused by silicosis or TB—not just the presence of disease.
• If a claimant is suspected to have active TB, their BME will be postponed until they are medically cleared.
• The Trust does not pay for simply having TB or silicosis; compensation is based on the permanent impairmentcaused by these diseases.
• All claims are reviewed by the Medical Certification Panel (MCP) for eligibility.

Who Qualifies for Compensation?

• Must have done risk work at qualifying gold mines (Anglo American, Gold Fields, Sibanye Stillwater, etc.) between 12 March 1965 and 10 December 2019.
• Living claimants must show permanent lung damage from silicosis or TB.
• For deceased claimants, eligibility depends on cause of death and timing of mine exit.

Important: Compensation is a once-off payment. If a claimant’s condition worsens, no further claims can be made—except in cases where an ineligible claimant later develops qualifying symptoms.

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Be Aware

• Tshiamiso Trust does not charge for processing claims.
• Claimants who worked less than 5 years in risk work may pay L1400 for the BME, refundable if found eligible.
• Beware of scammers posing as the Trust. Only contact official Tshiamiso Trust staff.

Call to Action

This outreach will also support:

• Families of deceased miners who need to submit medical proof of cause of death
• Claimant handovers when the original claimant has passed
• Updating contact details for unreachable claimants

“We are grateful to the Government of Lesotho and our partners for supporting this vital initiative,” concludes Dr. Kwinda. “Together, we’re making sure those who built South Africa’s mines get the recognition—and compensation—they deserve.”

For more information or to check your claim status, visit:

👉 https://www.tshiamisotrust.org.za