...[A]n historic class action settlement was reached on Thursday with those suffering from silicosis and tuberculosis.  The settlement was the first of its kind in South Africa...The draft settlement...will provide a medical examination and compensation to mineworkers who worked in gold mines from March 12‚ 1965‚ to date.  The High Court in Johannesburg will now review the draft settlement.  Once it has been approved‚ a trust deed will be set up...The parties compromised and reached a settlement out of concern for the “inevitably lengthy and expensive litigation”...Mineworkers’ benefits will increase annually in line with the consumer price index (CPI) from the third year of the trust.  Mining companies agreed to contribute R845-million in administration costs to the trust...