- By Daniel De Simone & Farouk Chothia
- BBC News, Johannesburg & London
About 50 deaths were recorded on South African mines in 2022
An accident at a platinum mine in South Africa has killed 11 workers and injured 75, the mine’s operator says.
Impala Platinum chief executive Nico Muller described it as the “darkest day” in the the company’s history.
The mining firm said the accident involved a winding rope connected to a lift which hoists people up and down the mine shaft. The lift started moving downwards unexpectedly, it added.
South Africa has some of the world’s deepest mines.
It is a leading producer of platinum, gold and other raw materials.
There have long been concerns about safety conditions on its mines, but the situation has improved since white-minority rule ended in 1994.
About 50 deaths were recorded in mines in 2022, down from 74 in the previous year.
The latest accident took place on Monday at a mine in Rustenburg, about 100km (60 miles) north-west of Johannesburg.
Impala Platinum said an investigation was under way into the exact cause of the “devastating accident”. All mining operations have been suspended.
“Implats is offering ongoing support to the families and colleagues of those lost in service,” Mr Muller said in a statement.
“We also hold our injured colleagues in our thoughts at this incredibly difficult time.”
Company spokesman Johan Theron said that some had sustained very serious injuries, and were being treated in hospital.
He described the accident as “highly unusual”, and said the lift which malfunctioned was used worldwide and had a reputation of being safe.
The lift was bringing workers to the surface at the end of their shift when it unexpectedly dropped about 200 metres (656ft)
The company statement added that the lift’s “rapid descent” was stopped by its “counterweight becoming trapped by the jack catches”, or safety systems.
Mr Theron was quoted by South Africa’s Jacaranda FM news site as saying that investigation would take place at multiple levels to “completely understand what transpired” so that similar accidents could be prevented in the future.
Lifts in many of South Africa’s deep mines can carry more than 100 people, according to AFP news agency.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
