This comes after 260 workers were trapped underground at the Sibanye Stillwater Kloof operation in Johannesburg when equipment failure caused debris to obstruct the main shaft, cutting off their escape.

The miners were eventually brought to the surface unharmed, but the union says the close call exposes deeper systemic issues in the country’s mining industry.

NUM national Spokesperson, Livhuwani Mammburu, said the incident underscores the regulator’s negligence in enforcing basic safety measures, including ensuring the presence of secondary escape routes.

“The department isn’t doing its job. It’s meant to inspect shafts and confirm whether emergency escape routes exist. This should be a wake-up call for the DMRE,” Mammburu stated.

He added that the absence of alternative exit routes is not unique to Sibanye, calling it a widespread problem across South African mines.

“This kind of risk is becoming too common. Many incidents never reach the media. Workers find themselves trapped with no way out, and that is extremely concerning. As a union, we are deeply troubled by this pattern and feel the need to step up our own vigilance,” he said.

The NUM is now urging the DMRE to take immediate action by conducting thorough inspections across all mining operations and tightening enforcement of existing safety protocols.

--ChannelAfrica--