By Tim Cocks and Felix Njini
None of the 260 miners stuck underground following an accident at a Sibanye-Stillwater gold mine in South Africa have been injured or killed, a senior union official said on Friday, as the company said 79 had been brought to the surface.
The miners were stuck underground after the hoist system used to access a shaft at the Kloof gold mine – one of Sibanye’s deepest, situated about 60 km (37 miles) west of Johannesburg – was damaged in an accident on Thursday.
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Health and Safety Chairperson Duncan Luvuno told journalists he feared for the safety of those still inside the mine.
“Fortunately there were no fatalities or injuries,” he said. “But for … 24 hours people were not eating or drinking anything. This is not adequate. Some have chronic diseases,” he said.
Journalists were barred by security guards from getting near to the
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