Missing miners’ bodies found
THE BODIES of two miners trapped underground at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville have been recovered nearly a week after a rockfall.
Harmony Gold said yesterday that rescue workers had recovered the bodies of the two remaining miners who had been unaccounted for since a tremor caused the collapse of sections of the mine last Friday.
The seismic event occurred at about 3 100m below the surface at around 10.30am.
Specially trained mine rescue teams brought the first body to the surface on Saturday. Another was retrieved on Sunday while the third was recovered the following day.
All employees who were trapped underground have now been accounted for.
The dead miners were named as Mr Matuba, Mr Mokhele and Mr Mokemane, who were all stope team members, and Mr Moganedi and Mr Sethafuno, who were both rock drill operators.
Harmony’s board and management expressed condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.
“We will continue to provide the necessary support to the families of the deceased. We are grateful to our colleagues and the scores of volunteer members of Mine Rescue Services from across South Africa for their unwavering commitment to the rescue operation,” chief executive Peter Steenkamp said.
“These rescue teams have demonstrated the utmost professionalism and courage under exceptionally challenging circumstances.
“We thank the Department of Mineral Resources, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and the National Union of Mineworkers for their collaboration that has made this possible.”
Steenkamp said investigations into the incident, involving representatives of Harmony Gold, organised labour and the health and safety directorate of the department, would take place. – ANA