A South African lawyer has moved to file a class action suit against more than 30 gold firms on behalf of 17,000 former miners who say they contracted the debilitating lung disease silicosis due to negligence in health and safety. The companies include…AngloGold Ashanti,…Gold Fields and Harmony Gold. Also named is Anglo American's South African unit…African Rainbow Minerals, one of the companies named, said it was "too soon to discuss the outcome of the matter as none of the merits of the matter has yet been established, let alone tested in court". An Anglo American spokesman said, "We are aware of the case, but Anglo American has not yet been served, so it would not be appropriate to comment any further." AngloGold Ashanti…said…[it] "works to prevent future incidences of occupational lung disease…The health and safety of AngloGold Ashanti employees is central to how we run our business."…Officials from Gold Fields, Harmony and some of the other companies named were not immediately available for comment.