Impala Platinum (Implats) confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that a mineworker had died at its Rustenburg mine, as a result of an accident involving one of the battery operated locomotives in an underground development area of the mine.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) stated that union safety stewards, as well as inspectors from the Department of Minerals and Energy were going to inspect the scene of the accident.

The fatality at Implats came just two days after a mineworker was killed at Anglo Platinum’s Amandelbult mine near Rustenburg, also in a transportation accident.

The accidents pushed up the death toll in an industry where already more than 120 people had lost their lives work related accidents.

In late 2007, President Thabo Mbeki ordered a safety audit into the country’s mines, owing to the high number of casualties. The audit was said to have been completed, although the findings had not yet been presented.

“Fatalities continue to rise daily while companies run all the way to the banks. The NUM is shocked to see this turn of events,” said NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka.

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