Two workers at Harmony Gold’s Elandsrand mine near Carletonville were killed in a rockfall on Wednesday, the mining company said.
Spokesperson Alwyn Pretorius said a localised seismic event caused the deaths of the two mineworkers at about 10.30am on Wednesday.
”Two persons were trapped by the fall of ground and, although they were rescued by their fellow workers within 20 minutes, regrettably both succumbed from their injuries at the scene of the accident. No other persons were seriously injured,” Pretorius said.
The seismic event, which measured 0,9 on the Richter scale, caused the fall of ground.
Work has been stopped until further investigations are completed.
On Tuesday, two workers were killed and four injured following a seismic shock at Harmony’s Bambanani mine near Welkom. One of the injured died in hospital later on Tuesday.
Both accidents involved rockfalls that occurred due to seismic activity.
A mining spokesperson for trade union Solidarity, Reint Dykema, said: ”Five deaths in two days puts pressure on Harmony to tighten safety in the workplace. Gold is trading at record levels at the moment and mines must not yield to the temptation to put production before safety.”
A mineworker died at Gold Fields’ Kloof mine when a rock fell on him during a series of earth tremors early on Monday morning. — Sapa