A 43-year old mine worker was killed at Harmony Gold’s Bambanani mine in the Free State, the company said on Monday.
The accident happened above ground early last Wednesday, during the removal of a steel door, regional chief operating officer Tom Smith said in a statement.
Six men attempted to lift the door, but it was too heavy for them to manage. It slipped from their grasp and fell on the man.
Department of Minerals and Energy spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said the operation took place outside the mine itself, in a workshop. For this reason mining operations did not stop.
An inspection had recommended that the removal of doors and frames be stopped until a procedure outlining how this should be done in future was developed. He said the procedure should be drawn up by the end of the week. — Sapa