Johannesburg - Rescue workers were on Wednesday morning racing against time to rescue mineworkers who have been trapped underground at the Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg (Implats) for over 24 hours.
Two miners were trapped at the mine following a fall of ground at about 10am yesterday and there was mounting concern this morning regarding ventilation and the unstable area in which the rescuers had to operate.
Mine spokesman Johan Theron said this morning that operations at the mine were suspended to allow rescue teams to search for the missing workers.
Officials realised the two miners were missing after evacuating workers yesterday. Since then, rescue workers have been “working around the clock” to get to them.
However, the area was “quite unstable, which means rescue teams have to proceed with the utmost caution”, said Theron.
There was also uncertainty over the condition of the trapped miners as rescue teams were unsure if the miners were trapped behind, inside or under the fall of ground area.
“There are several rescue teams on the scene... Ventilation could be a problem but the bigger concern is the injuries that the miners may have sustained,” said Theron.
The families of the miners have been informed and are at the mine.
“The full extent and cause of the rock fall has not yet been established as the priority and focus remains the search and rescue operation,” Theron added.
Deputy president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Joseph Montisetsi said the union was saddened that yet another mining accident had taken place.
“We are calling for mining companies to invest in technology that will pick up or detect seismic activity so that people can evacuate in time. We are concerned that mining companies are not interested in the safety of miners and we call on government to get involved and make it policy for such technologies to be installed in all mines when a mining licence is issued,” Montisetsi said.
THE STAR