Mail & Guardian reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) have called for accountability after six mineworkers died in a fire at Palabora Mining Company.  

The copper producer confirmed on Monday that six workers were killed after a blaze erupted in its underground operation in Phalaborwa, Limpopo in the early hours of Sunday morning.  Seven workers were trapped underground after they had been dispatched to fix a broken conveyor belt.  Palabora confirmed that its rescue teams were able to save one worker, but the rest were killed.  The company said that 226 workers were on shift at the time the fire broke out, and 84 had received medical attention.  NUM and Amcu expressed outrage at the fire.  The cause of the blaze has yet to be confirmed, but NUM said it had been “reliably informed” high temperatures underground were among the reasons the fire sparked.  Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa reacted to the deaths by saying that mine owners were negligent in SA.  “Whenever you drive over someone you will be charged, so why is it different when it comes to mine owners when miners die on duty?  They need to be held accountable as well because mine deaths are becoming fashionable now,” Mathunjwa stated.

• Read this report by Ra'eesa Pather in full at Mail & Guardian

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