Gold Mine Drama: Lives on the Line
Dozens of Miners Rescued After Shaft Collapse at Sibanye Gold Mine in South Africa
Nearly a third of the 260 miners trapped underground at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Kloof gold mine in South Africa were safely brought to the surface on Friday, the company confirmed. The incident occurred after the mine’s hoist system—used to access the shaft—was damaged in an accident on Thursday. The Kloof mine is one of Sibanye’s deepest, located about 60 km (37 miles) west of Johannesburg.
By early Friday afternoon, 79 miners had been rescued in the first phase of the operation. Sibanye reported that the remaining 181 workers had been provided with food and were awaiting extraction once it was deemed safe to proceed.
A company spokesperson told Reuters that the full rescue operation was expected to be completed “soon.” Thankfully, there were no injuries or fatalities. However, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Health and Safety Chairperson Duncan Luvuno raised concerns about the lack of food and water during the 24-hour ordeal, especially for miners with chronic conditions.
While media were kept away from the site by security personnel, a Reuters reporter saw visibly exhausted but unharmed miners boarding buses after reaching the surface. Meanwhile, anxious families gathered outside, desperate for updates.
“I haven’t slept at all,” said Mamodise Mokone, whose husband remained underground. “All I want is for whoever is responsible to ensure he comes out alive.”
Sibanye had earlier confirmed that all trapped workers were safe and gathered at an assembly point within the Kloof 7 shaft, as rescue efforts were underway. The shaft, which reaches depths of around 3,200 meters (2 miles), is part of the Kloof mine, contributing 14% to the company’s total gold output.
Sibanye-Stillwater, based in Johannesburg, operates both gold and platinum-group metal mines in South Africa and the U.S. Mining incidents remain a concern in South Africa, where some abandoned mines have been overtaken by informal and illegal diggers. In a separate incident earlier this year, at least 78 bodies were recovered from an illegal gold mine following a months-long crackdown.