Years of working in the mines Results in lung diseases South Africa gold miners Claim

The ex-miners say they contracted silicosis, an incurable lung disease, from years of working in the mines.

Former gold miners in South Africa can go ahead with a class action against mining companies over health damage allegedly caused by their work, a court in Johannesburg has ruled.

The high court decision paves the way for what would become the largest class action in South African history.

The court said that a class action was “the only realistic option”.