MIDDELBURG - Rescue operations that were carried out in an attempt to retrieve more than 20 people who are trapped underground at Gloria coal mine near Middelburg in Mpumalanga while allegedly stealing copper cables, have been temporarily suspended again for safety reasons.
According to business rescue practitioners’ representative Mike Elliot: "We have withdrawn a team of rescue workers from underground. We have to bring in a new big fan and will resume the operations as soon as we have it. We don't allow rescue workers to go in an area that is not safe."
Elliot said the fan was needed in order to pump in fresh air underground so that harmful gases could dissipate. The bodies of several men have been retrieved from the mine’s underground area since last week following an explosion. A sixth man was brought to the surface alive and taken to a hospital, where he was later discharged, said provincial police spokesman Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.
A number of police officers were still visible in and outside the mine premises on Thursday, while a small group of family members of the trapped people also stood outside. Most of the family members said they were not aware that rescue operations had been put on hold, and appealed to the business rescue practitioners to speed up the process.
“I just hope my brother’s son Lerumo Mokete is still alive in there,” said one of the family members Mathapelo Mokoena.
Meanwhile, the police on Thursday confiscated four bags full of mielies (corn cob) from another group of family members of the trapped victims. Hlathi said the mielies were stolen from a field on a farm opposite Gloria coal mine.
"The police reprimanded the people who were found in possession of mielies and warned them against stealing," said Hlathi.
“No arrests were made and no case was opened. We will always monitor that area to make sure that people do not go there and steal.”