JOHANNESBURG – More than 70 mineworkers were brought to the surface on Friday afternoon after being trapped underground for nearly 24 hours at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Kloof gold mine, located west of Johannesburg.
The incident occurred on Thursday when the hoist system at the Kloof 7 shaft malfunctioned, leaving 260 workers stranded nearly 3,200 metres below ground. The mine is one of Sibanye’s deepest operations and contributes around 14% of its total gold output.
By early Friday afternoon, 79 employees had been safely brought to the surface, according to a statement issued by the mining company. The remaining 181 workers, the company said, had been reached and provided with food while awaiting safe extraction.
Duncan Luvuno, the National Union of Mineworkers’ (NUM) Health and Safety Chairperson, confirmed that none of the trapped miners had been physically injured. However, he raised concerns about the wellbeing of some workers who went nearly 24 hours without food or water.
“Some of the workers have chronic conditions,” said Luvuno. “This situation could have been far worse.”
Security at the mine was tight, with journalists prevented from accessing the shaft area. However, a Reuters journalist reported seeing some of the freed miners boarding buses at the mine’s perimeter. Many appeared exhausted but in stable condition.
Outside the mine’s gates, worried family members waited anxiously. Mamodise Mokone, whose husband was among those still underground on Friday morning, said she had been awake all night.
“I just want my husband out alive,” she said.
The company said it was working swiftly to complete the rescue operation, though it did not give a precise time for completion. A spokesperson indicated the hoisting system was being closely monitored to ensure safe continued use.
Sibanye-Stillwater, based in Johannesburg, operates gold and platinum group metal mines in both South Africa and the United States. The Kloof mine has three shafts and remains one of the company’s most important gold-producing assets.
Discussion about this post