EWN reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has demanded the closure of the Masakhane shaft at Sibanye-Stillwater's Driefontein operations where seven workers died last week after seismic events.
Thirteen miners were trapped underground following a rockfall on Thursday, seven of whom subsequently died. Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said that the shaft should not be operating. "No worker should be allowed to enter that mine shaft until all the safety issues have been addressed,” he indicated. He also claimed that mining companies did not care about the lives of the workers and he urged government to take more action against the owners. Meanwhile, the families of the seven miners who died in the rockfall are demanding answers. Several other workers were injured in the fall of ground last Thursday. The mine's James Wellsted said: "We do provide significant support and ongoing counselling to all of the families and their loved ones and over the course of the next week or so, we'll be discussing how the mourning will take place, the burial and the ongoing support for the families."
- This report by Masego Rahlaga is at EWN
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