Rescue teams recovered the bodies of the two remaining miners trapped underground at AngloGold Ashanti’s Tau Tona mine near Carletonville at the weekend. The recovery of all five missing miners was completed five days after the fall of ground at the mine, following two seismic events on Monday afternoon.
The accident took place 2 o;700 metres below the surface, AngloGold said in a statement.
The families of all the missing miners have been notified and offered assistance with transport to the mine. A memorial service for the five men is planned at the mine for Thursday next week.
The miners killed were named as Abiel Koali Ntheko, from Quthing in Lesotho, Jaime Auxilio Sambane, from Chibuto in Mozambique, Daniel Sitoe, from Chokwe in Mozambique, Jeremiah Songeso Dubeni, from Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape and Lwandile Mgwenye from Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape.
The two miners rescued at the scene on Monday afternoon remain in hospital. One sustained minor injuries. The other, who suffered a back injury, remains in a stable condition.
Robbie Lazare, AngloGold Ashanti’s executive officer responsible for the company’s underground mines in Africa said: “This has been a traumatic week for
the families of our five colleagues who died in the accident and for all employees at Tau Tona. I must again express our most sincere condolences to the families and friends of the five men. We must also record our gratitude and admiration to all of those of our colleagues who have worked selflessly in the rescue operation.” – I-Net Bridge