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South Africa's Gold Mines and the Politics of Silicosis
Language:
English
Published/Copyright:
2012
About this book
Examines the silicosis crisis in the South African mining industry, and reveals how the rate of, often fatal, tuberculosis among black migrant miners was hidden for over a century.
South Africa's gold mines are the largest and historically among the most profitable in the world. Yet at what human cost? This book reveals how the mining industry, abetted by a minority state, hid a pandemic of silicosis for almost a century and allowed miners infected with tuberculosis to spread disease to rural communities in South Africa and to labour-sending states.
In the twentieth century, South African mines twice faced a crisis over silicosis, which put its workers at risk of contracting pulmonary tuberculosis, often fatal. The first crisis, 1896-1912, saw the mining industry invest heavily in reducing dust and South Africa became renowned for its mine safety. The second began in 2000 with mounting scientific evidence that the disease rate among miners is more than a hundred times higher than officially acknowledged. The first crisis also focused upon disease among the minority white miners: the current crisis is about black migrant workers, and is subject to major class actions for compensation.
Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland & Botswana): Jacana
South Africa's gold mines are the largest and historically among the most profitable in the world. Yet at what human cost? This book reveals how the mining industry, abetted by a minority state, hid a pandemic of silicosis for almost a century and allowed miners infected with tuberculosis to spread disease to rural communities in South Africa and to labour-sending states.
In the twentieth century, South African mines twice faced a crisis over silicosis, which put its workers at risk of contracting pulmonary tuberculosis, often fatal. The first crisis, 1896-1912, saw the mining industry invest heavily in reducing dust and South Africa became renowned for its mine safety. The second began in 2000 with mounting scientific evidence that the disease rate among miners is more than a hundred times higher than officially acknowledged. The first crisis also focused upon disease among the minority white miners: the current crisis is about black migrant workers, and is subject to major class actions for compensation.
Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland & Botswana): Jacana
Reviews
'a path-breaking book . . . required reading for graduate students in Southern African studies - in fact for anyone seriously interested in the history of the African sub-continent.
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Makes a significant contribution to a vibrant literature. [...] A fine book.
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Makes an important contribution to our understanding of the politics of health, work, science and regulation in southern Africa. The issues it raises are not limited to silicosis nor confined to the apartheid period.
Topics
-
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Frontmatter
i -
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CONTENTS
v -
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List of Photographs
vii -
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DEDICATION
ix -
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Preface: South Africa in the Twentieth Century
xi -
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Acknowledgments
xviii -
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List of Abbreviations
xx -
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A Brief Chronology
xxii -
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1 Gold Mining & Life-Threatening Disease
1 -
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2 Creating a Medical System
14 -
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3 Compensation
33 -
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4 A White Science
55 -
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5 Myth Making & the 1930 Silicosis Conference
74 -
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6 Tuberculosis & Tropical Labour
85 -
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7 Conflict over the Compensation System
106 -
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8 Healing Miners
121 -
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9 The Sick Shall Work
139 -
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10 Men Without Qualities
155 -
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Select Bibliography
162 -
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Index
173
Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
February 28, 2024
eBook ISBN:
9781782040422
Original publisher:
James Currey
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook ISBN:
9781782040422
Keywords for this book
black migrant miners; class actions; Jock McCulloch; mining industry; pandemic; silicosis crisis; South African gold mines; Southern Africa; tuberculosis
Audience(s) for this book
For an expert adult audience, including professional development and academic research
