JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Trade union Solidarity on Monday sharply criticised the death of employees at Harmony Gold’s Masimong and Glencore’s Eland platinum mines, stating that the fatalities could have been prevented.
Harmony Gold confirmed that an employee had died in a rail-bound equipment-related accident at its Masimong gold mine, near Welkom, on Sunday, stating that an investigation into the accident was under way.
Solidarity, meanwhile, said an employee was killed at Glencore’s Eland platinum mine, outside Brits, on Monday morning. The employee was reportedly hit by a mining vehicle and died of internal injuries.
“Eland can confirm that one of its employees lost his life at the mine on Saturday, January 17. The company is cooperating with the Department of Mineral Resources who are conducting an investigation. We are providing all the necessary support to the family of the deceased at this most difficult time,” Glencore spokesperson Gugulethu Maqetuka told Mining Weekly Online.
Solidarity Occupational Health and Safety Division head Paul Mardon said the union sympathised with the employees’ families, but stressed that these types of accidents were preventable.
“We, therefore, call on mining companies and workers to adhere to safety measures at all times to prevent similar accidents,” he stated.