Former steelworker says Compensation Fund claim unresolved after 19 years

A former steelworker says he is still waiting for the Compensation Fund to finalise an injury-on-duty claim nearly 19 years after being crushed by a runaway overhead crane at work.

Man left permanently incapacitated

Isaac Moletsi told The Citizen his accident occurred while he was working for a steel company in Chamdor, Kagiso. He said the incident left him permanently incapacitated and that he later required bilateral total hip replacement surgery, which resulted in ongoing medical complications.

Long delay tied to employer liquidation

Moletsi said his employer initially complied with the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act and ensured he received emergency treatment, but the employer later entered voluntary liquidation. According to The Citizen, the liquidation process lasted almost 11 years and was finalised in September 2020.

After the liquidation ended, Moletsi said he was advised his claim could be reactivated, but the fund informed him the claim had prescribed because too much time had elapsed. He told The Citizen that attorneys responsible for the liquidation said they had destroyed his files after the liquidation was finalised.

Appeals and treatment by officials

Moletsi said he repeatedly appealed to senior Compensation Fund officials, including the commissioner and senior executives, seeking intervention. He also described dismissive treatment from some officials and asked:

“The question I beg you to ask them is whether I was protected enough as a worker in South Africa.”

Financial and medical fallout

Moletsi said he was retrenched after being declared permanently incapacitated. He received Unemployment Insurance Fund benefits for a period and later a temporary disability grant. He continues to live with chronic medical complications, including issues related to his hip surgery and a pulmonary embolism.

Compensation Fund response

The fund had not responded to questions by the time of publishing, according to The Citizen.

An ongoing backdrop to the complaint noted in reporting raises broader questions about the fund’s administration, procurement and governance, according to The Citizen.