Mine workers at the Batho Pele shaft of Anglo American’s platinum mine in Rustenburg say they won’t resume work until their safety can be guaranteed. Two of their colleagues, 31-year-old Mashabela Phuku and 45-year-old Tsembele Joseph Mashele got trapped underground on Saturday after a rockfall.

Their bodies were taken to the surface on Wednesday night, three days after the incident.

AMCU chairperson at the mine, George Tyobeka, says the mine must be inspected first before they will resume their duties.

“We are going to finalise some issues with management including the contractors and the big important part of it is we need also to conduct the audit in all the sections here in Batho Pele mine, to make sure this thing cannot happen again. We want to identify, check all the sections, not specifically the section that had a fall of ground. Then maybe, going forward, things will be turned. But really, I don’t foresee the upliftment of the operations right now, because this thing is very hectic.”

Meanwhile, Anglo Platinum mine has undertaken to look after the families of the two mine contractors killed in an accident at Amplats’ Batho Pele shaft in Rustenburg.

“At the moment our priorities is really to make sure that we look properly after the employees’ family, and that we support them through this terrible time for them.”
For more http://www.sabc.co.za