Impala Platinum said the fatal accident happened late Monday afternoon at the company’s mine in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, at the end of a shift when workers were trying to exit one of the shafts.
“Our hearts are saddened for the loss of life and the people affected by this devastating accident,” Impala Platinum (Implats) CEO Nick Muller said in a statement.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our colleagues and are currently working to ensure that all next of kin have been contacted,” he added.
The company said 75 injured workers were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
Implats spokesman Johan Theron told AFP that some of the workers were seriously injured, most with broken ankles and legs, but some with only minor scratches.
According to the company, the accident happened shortly before 5pm on Monday. local (and Lithuanian) time, when the elevator that was lifting the workers up suddenly started to fall.
Implats said all mine operations were suspended on Tuesday as investigations into the accident continued.
South Africa is the largest producer of platinum in the world.
Mining accidents are common in South Africa, where the industry employs hundreds of thousands of people.
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2024-08-30 06:26:20
