On Monday afternoon, over 2,000 miners at Implats' Platinum mine near Rustenburg in the North West found themselves underground due to an illegal protest initiated at two shafts earlier in the day. The unauthorized demonstration impacted the north and south shafts at the Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine, prompting the suspension of mining operations and the recall of underground employees.
Despite
these measures, as of 3 pm, approximately 2,205 workers remained underground,
with allegations suggesting that some might be held against their will. Implats
immediately notified relevant authorities and implemented emergency measures to
ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals involved. The motives and
demands of the protest remain unclear, posing serious safety concerns for the
employees.
This
incident follows a recent occurrence at Gold One mine in Springs, Gauteng,
where miners were allegedly held hostage for nearly five days during an
underground sit-in protest. Implats expressed concern over the prevalence of
such "copycat illegal actions" in the mining industry, emphasizing
the need to address and discourage such activities. The company is committed to
providing updates as more information becomes available. This incident follows
a recent tragedy at Implats, where at least 11 people lost their lives in a
conveyance accident at a Rustenburg shaft last month.
Source: Timeslive
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