A miner was killed at the Driefontein mine near Carletonville on Saturday, Gold Fields said.
”It is regrettable that a loco guard was injured when he was caught between the locomotive and the loader in a haulage in level 44 in shaft five,” said Gold Fields spokesperson Andrew Davidson.
Davidson said the man was taken to hospital but died on arrival.
In another incident at Gold Field’s Kloof mine in Westonaria on Friday, a miner was killed during a rockfall.
”The incident happened on Friday afternoon when there was a seismic activity measuring 1,2 on the Richter scale. The team leader was killed in the rock fall in stope approximately 166m underground,” said Davidson.
Three other miners also sustained slight injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
Davidson said following the incident, no blasting was taking place at shaft eight. ”The shaft has not been closed, but there is no blasting taking place.”
An investigation into the incident was being conducted.
Trade union Solidarity’s Reint Dykema said more needs to be done to address safety issues in mines.
The National Union of Mineworkers has said it plans to ask its members to down tools on December 4 to protest against a spate of deaths in the country’s mines, but is still awaiting a permit to strike.
More than 180 workers have died in mine accidents this year, compared with about 200 last year. — Sapa, Reuters