The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it was “highly furious” following reports that the Tau Lekoa gold mine in Orkney, North West, ignored instructions from rock engineers who inspected the mine a few days before a lethal seismic incident.
On Saturday afternoon, four workers who were working overtime died after they were trapped underground at the mine.
One body was recovered on the same day while two were recovered on Sunday. The victims were from Kuruman in Northern Cape, Sterkspruit in Eastern Cape and Lesotho.
“The NUM is highly disturbed by this tragic death of workers.
“This accident, like any other mining accidents, could have been prevented. We are told that recommendations were presented by rock engineers to the mine on how to mine safely,” the union’s health and safety secretary, Erick Gcilitshana said.
“We want to call upon the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to fully investigate this unfortunate accident. As the NUM we will make sure that no stone is left unturned.”
Gcilitshana sent the union’s condolences to the mine workers’ families, saying the NUM continued to insist that mining companies must be held fully accountable for such accidents.
“They should shoulder responsibility and liability after every workplace injury or death,” Gcilitshana said.
“As a union, we thought we were starting to observe a decline in fatal accidents. A total of 52 fatalities were reported last year this time; already 41 fatalities have been reported so far since January this year.”
Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane visited the mine on Sunday and met the management.
In 2014, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Orkney, killing one man, injuring over 30 miners and damaging over 600 houses.