Dual-listed Harmony Gold Mining Company on Monday confirmed that an employee had lost his life on Friday evening, following a scraper winch-related incident at the Kusasalethu mine, near Carletonville.
“Our sincere condolences go out to our colleague’s family, friends and fellow workers. We will reinforce – across our operations – the key elements of our safety journey: leadership, application of our risk management approach and attainment of a proactive safety culture,” Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp assured stakeholders.
He indicated that work in the affected area has been stopped and that the company had committed fully to the investigation that was already under way.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, meanwhile, noted in a separate statement that this had been the third employee to be killed at Harmony Gold’s operations this year.
This followed ten fatalities at its operations in 2019.
The union reiterated its calls for amendment to the Mine Health and Safety Act, and also called on mining bosses to invest more of their profits and dividends in safety systems and infrastructure.
Moreover, it emphasised that mining houses should face greater accountability through stronger regulation and enforcement by the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy.