 The Chamber of Mines on Monday sent condolences to the family and friends of the five mineworkers killed during a fire at a Gold Fields shaft at the weekend.
“We are acutely aware of the pain and suffering brought about as a result of the untimely loss of a relative,” CEO Reggie Sibiya said in a statement.
The chamber - an industry employer's association - said it would continue working with the government and unions towards safer working conditions.
Sietse van der Woude, the chamber's head of safety and sustainable development, said provisional figures from the department of mineral resources showed 63 mineworkers died in accidents between January 1 and June 30.
This did not include deaths due to illegal mining. Those figures would be kept by the police.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) earlier claimed more of a fuss was made over the deaths of rhinos or white workers than those of black workers.
“We know if it was the rhinos killed there was going to be lot of noise made by some, or if it was the white workers,” Cosatu Gauteng spokesman Dumisani Dakile said.
The five miners died at Gold Fields' KDC West mine at the weekend. The company said a fire broke out in the Ya-Rona shaft in Merafong, near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg on Saturday night. Fourteen miners were taken to hospital. By Sunday, three had been discharged.
The National Union of Mineworkers, a Cosatu affiliate, said the five died of asphyxiation and said they had been working overtime loading mud, without available compressed air.
Comment could not immediately be obtained from the company on these claims.
Dakile said the government should take “drastic steps” against mines exposing workers to dangerous conditions.
Cosatu was planning an urgent meeting with the departments of labour, and mineral resources and energy, to discuss how to prevent such events in future. It also planned a national day of mourning.
Gold Fields' chief executive officer Nick Holland earlier described the deaths as shocking.
“We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to their families, friends and colleagues. We are in the process of contacting their next-of-kin and will do all in our power to assist them through this difficult time. We will thoroughly investigate the causes of this accident.”
Executive vice president and head of Gold Fields' South Africa region Peter Turner said there had been 655 fatality-free working days (two years and nine months) at the shaft before Saturday's accident.
“This incident is highly regrettable in view of the significant safety improvements we've experienced on this mine.”
The shaft, and the other 12 shafts on the KDC operation, had been closed and the company would co-operate in an investigation.
Comment was not available from the mineral resources department. - Sapa
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