Amplats stops some ops after miner death
The Department of Mineral Resources orders Anglo Platinum's Bokoni Platinum Mine to stop some operations after a miner was killed.
|||Polokwane - The Department of Mineral Resources has ordered Anglo Platinum's Bokoni Platinum Mine in Limpopo to stop some operations after a miner was killed and another injured this week, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has said.
It is alleged that the victim was a passenger on a scissor machine when it failed to brake and ran for about 400 metres uncontrolled.
The victim was identified as Ramadimetja Degrecia Phaladi of the Mocheni village, fourteen kilometres away from the mine.
NUM said the accident occurred on Tuesday as miners were busy going about their daily routine.
“The Department of Mineral Resources has issued instruction that operation should stop until investigations are complete. It is disturbing when workers goes underground, we expect them to return to their families, not to perish,” said NUM branch chairman Thapelo Madintsi on Friday.
The machine was stopped at the second level after another driver underground spotted spark fires. “When the machine went down the brakes failed, it moved down until level six.
“The driver was injured and the passenger was fatally injured. The driver has been hospitalised,” said Madintsi.
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The union said it was concerned that it was the second incident when a miner was killed at Bokoni's operations.
“As NUM we are very concerned about fatal accidents because we had one on January 12, and now, and within a month we got two accidents. We are very concern about these fatal accidents.”
The Atlatsa board of directors and management extended their condolences to Phaladi's family and friends.
“Atlatsa Resources Corporation deeply regrets to report the death at Bokoni Platinum Mines Proprietary,” said head of Investor relations Prudence Lebina.
“Phaladi, who was employed as an artisan assistant at the Brakfontein shaft, was sadly involved in a utility vehicle accident at the shaft.” Her passenger, Topase Suzan Bhembe remains in hospital and is in a critical but stable condition. Bokoni Platinum Mine management and the Department of Mineral Resources are investigating the incident. Whilst the investigation was ongoing, all operations related to the use of trackless equipment at the Brakfontein shaft have been suspended.
However, Lebina said other operations at Bokoni Platinum Mine remained unaffected.
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