Mining is the extraction of minerals from the earth surface that are of economic value, extraction is done by people and machines. While mechanisation is expensive and reliable it also has limitation. Employment of men only in the mining industry was seen as an inequality which led to women taking part in the mining industry. Although historical analysis had the perception that women are not fit enough to go underground and laws were passed on to support the exclusion of women within the industry. Due to great debates about the matter, unemployment and unfavourable conditions made women be allowed to work in mines not only as cleaners or do any job without a title but allowed to go underground.
Underground mining is …show more content…
Men are sceptical, to such an extent that they believe that it is against traditional norms to work with women and they had the fallacy that it destroys feminity and that women are too weak. A veteran mineworker believed that gold sector is not the right place for women to work in just because of his 22 years of experience in the sector. Even when doors are open for women to take part in the industry, whites and Indians still believe that women should not work in mines because even to date none of the two is found in underground mining. The push factor is that their families have businesses and they can easily find employment.
4.1 Challenges that women face
Women have to endure pain, harsh working conditions and challenges from the society because they would be told that they steal other people’s husbands and this has led to other women breaking up with their partners.
Women are at a disadvantage when people are being retrenched in the industry because of pregnancy, monthly menstrual cycle and breastfeeding. And they have reported to experiencing waist problems and back pains, and as some are from less privileged places and do not have a matric certificate led them into having fake papers. As a result, they were given jobs which doesn’t pay much i.e. measuring working station and carrying the supervisor’s bag. Women had to work two times hard to be taken seriously. …show more content…
And other women would practice prostitution, this was done underground because some have partners on the surface and families to take care of. There’s an evidence collected that clearly show that shift bosses engage in sex with female mine workers.
Men see women as sexual objects and they demand sexual favours in exchange for helping them with tremendous work (Mkhonza, 2015). While other men would forcefully try to engage in sexual relationship with their female colleagues.
6. Equilibrium Society
Men and women can no longer be differentiated by the status they hold, power or prestige. Lekgotla Programme came into existence when there was a need to intensify awareness of sexual harassment. Women mind equipment were designed for personal protection and in the appropriate size. As one of the challenges women had to face was pregnancy, a code of good practice for pregnancy in the workplace was introduced, child care facilities and suitable washrooms.
6.1 Safety in