An early morning rescue operation on Wednesday saw 644 miners, who were underground when a fire broke out at miner Gold One’s Modder East operations, brought to the surface.
All the employees evacuated to the mine's refuge bays from where they were rescued.
Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe commended the successful rescue operation.
“We commend all the rescue teams involved, as well as the mine employees and management, for their swift action in ensuring that we avert a potential disaster.
“We reiterate our call to mining companies to prioritise the safety of mineworkers, and to ensure that everyone adheres to the guidelines provided for safety at the mines,” he concluded.