The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has learnt of a cage-related incident at Impala’s 20 Shaft. AMCU then provides the latest provisional safety statistics for the mining industry.

AMCU has learnt of a cage-related incident at Impala Platinum’s 20 Shaft. Reportedly, the cage skip rope snapped early this morning, subsequently trapping nine (9) mineworkers. The rescue team was called in and, after an inspection, the cage was safely hoisted to surface, rescuing the nine (9) trapped workers.

AMCU has learnt that seven (7) contract workers servicing the vacuum pumps underground, could not come out from underground and the rescue team will use the 12 Shaft escape route to bring them to surface.

Four (4) employees are critically injured on level 24, with both the mine doctor and the nurse on their way underground to join the rescue team.

A cage is the shaft elevator, transporting workers to the underground.

AMCU prays that the injured employees who are still underground comes out on surface alive and well.

Update on provisional safety statistics:

Provisional fatalities in the South African mining industry are reported at 47, with injuries at 1271 year-to-date (as at 19 October 2020). These are the latest figures from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.