Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Greater attention needs to be paid to issues of safety, and particularly the protection of the lives of mineworkers, as opposed to the insistence on chasing production, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Friday after four employees died in a cave-in at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Masakhane mine, in Driefontein, Gauteng.
Thirteen miners were trapped underground on Thursday after an earthquake caused a cave-in. Ten of the workers have been rescued, with four of those having died of their injuries.
Mantashe extended his condolences to the families and friends of the deceased workers.
The gold sector has seen an increase in fatalities this year, with Sibanye one of the biggest contributors.
Mantashe has urged rescue teams to continue with rescue efforts to find the remaining trapped workers, while being mindful of safety.
The Department of Mineral Resources’ health and safety inspectors were on site as rescue operations continue.
Seismic incidents accounted for about 30% of mine fatalities in 2017 and, as a result, the Minister has requested a team comprising representatives from the department, the Council for Geoscience, the Mine Health and Safety Council, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, as well as rock engineers and seismicity experts, to look into this as a matter of urgency, to assist the industry to better anticipate and deal with seismic activities.