JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Shaft sinking work at the main and ventilation shafts of Wesizwe Platinum’s Bakubung mine, in North West, have been temporarily stopped pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of a contractor.
JSE-listed Wesizwe reported on Monday that the 50-year-old contractor, who was working as a stage hand, had been fatally injured while working on the sinking stage on April 9.
A preliminary investigation determined that the contractor had fallen 15 m from the sinking stage fourth deck to the shaft bottom. At the time of the incident, the stage crew was in the process of raising the stage in preparation for the end-of-shift blast.
Following the completion of a full investigation, a presentation would be made to the Department of Mineral Resources.
Another contractor had been killed at Bakubung in October last year, after being hit by a metal object that fell 22 m down the mine shaft.