Table 2.
Demographic and occupational characteristics of South African ex-miners who left the industry 2001–2013, with crude mortality rates (N = 306,297)
| Characteristic | N | % | Crude mortality rate (per 1000 person-yrs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 306,297 | 100 | 23.1 | |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 290,765 | 94.9 | 23.6 | |
| Female | 15,532 | 5.1 | 10.5 | |
| Racial ascription | ||||
| Black | 255,364 | 83.4 | 26.4 | |
| White | 46,857 | 15.3 | 8.0 | |
| Coloured | 3453 | 1.1 | 13.2 | |
| Indian | 507 | 0.2 | 8.0 | |
| Unknowna | 116 | 3.8 | 5.2 | |
| Commodity | ||||
| Gold only | 130,037 | 42.5 | 25.3 | |
| Platinum only | 74,507 | 24.3 | 19.8 | |
| Coal only | 3588 | 1.2 | 6.2 | |
| Other only | 4080 | 1.3 | 9.5 | |
| Multiple sectorsb | 60,551 | 19.8 | 32.1 | |
| Unknown | 33,534 | 11.0 | 11.9 | |
| Occupational category | ||||
| Underground only | 155,093 | 50.6 | 21.5 | |
| Surface only | 64,582 | 21.1 | 15.5 | |
| Underground and surface | 80,412 | 26.3 | 34.3 | |
| Unknown | 6210 | 2.0 | 5.8 | |
| Age at exit (years) | ||||
| 15–24.9 | 41,704 | 13.6 | 8.8 | |
| 25–34.9 | 103,557 | 33.8 | 18.7 | |
| 35–44.9 | 75,611 | 24.7 | 30.6 | |
| 45–54.9 | 59,024 | 19.3 | 29.3 | |
| 55–64.9 | 25,624 | 8.4 | 25.6 | |
| ≥ 65 | 777 | 0.3 | 23.5 | |
| Time in employment (years) | ||||
| 0–4.9 | 217,860 | 71.1 | 18.3 | |
| 5–9.9 | 33,173 | 10.8 | 33.3 | |
| 10–14.9 | 29,861 | 9.7 | 37.9 | |
| 15–19.9 | 16,063 | 5.2 | 34.3 | |
| 20–24.9 | 5913 | 1.9 | 24.1 | |
| ≥ 25 | 3427 | 1.1 | 22.3 | |
| Calendar year of exit (years) | ||||
| 2001–2004 | 66,437 | 21.7 | 25.0 | |
| 2005–2009 | 117,358 | 38.3 | 22.9 | |
| 2010–2013 | 122,502 | 40.0 | 17.8 | |
a“Unknown” category comprises missing, null or negative data. b “Multiple sectors” includes any combination of more than one sector, including individuals who spent a period of time in a sector reported as ‘unknown’