JOHANNESBURG- A mine worker was killed he was crushed by a box of gold ore at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Masakhane shaft, at its Driefontein Operations outside of Carletonville, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) said on Tuesday.
Joseph Mathunjwa AMCU president said in a statement released late on Monday that the incident happened around 17:30pm on Monday.
“According to reports the box fell after blasting caused it to come loose and fall on the deceased,” Mathunjwa said.
The miner’s body was recovered around 03:00 on Tuesday.
“This accident is the third fatality this month, after two mineworkers were killed at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Kloof Operations due to a fall of ground, only last week.”
Last week, two trapped miners were confirmed dead at the Kloof Ikamva shaft of Sibanye-Stillwater’s mine in Gauteng on February 7.
Mathunjwa further stressed the safety standards in the mining industry need to be looked at and communication, “Of even greater concern, is the lacking communication from Sibanye-Stillwater to stakeholders once incidents take place, leaving AMCU to rely solely on its regional leadership structures to get information”.
Spokesperson for Sibanye Stillwater James Wellsted could not be immediately reached for comment.
Photo Credit- Mining.com
Leave a Reply