Photo by: Bloomberg
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) will lead the investigation, together with management, unions and employees, into the cause of Sunday’s fire at the afflicted Kusasalethu mine, in Gauteng.
Harmony COO Alwyn Pretorius advised that the company would fully participate in the investigation into the events that led to the fire.
“Whatever answers are arrived at, from both the official DMR investigation and our own internal enquiry, will be used to inform measures to be taken to prevent a recurrence,” he said.
The mine, which had been troubled by labour violence and illegal miners in the past year, suffered an underground fire on Sunday during maintenance work.
Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi met with Harmony Gold’s management and associated unions on Monday where he was briefed on the fire, which was reported at 09:40 on Sunday, and on the safe evacuation of 486 employees.
“I came here to satisfy myself as to the real situation on the ground. We are very grateful that all of those who went underground have been accounted for,” Ramatlhodi said at a media briefing.
“I want to commend the rescue teams, in particular. I have met with them this morning and I was moved to see them risk their lives to save [others]. They make us proud.”
Ramatlhodi thanked the Kusasalethu management and unions for their efforts and commended the safety measures that had been put in place at the mine.
“But, most of all, I want to commend the employees, for doing what they were trained to do,” the Minister noted.
“We are, of course, [grateful] that the systems we had in place – starting with the refuge bays and the incredibly courageous and well-trained mine rescue team members – worked so effectively,” Pretorius added.
Reuters reported earlier on Monday that Harmony's profits “would not make such a swift ascent, especially since the mine will almost certainly be closed for an indefinite period while an investigation is held.”
"It's a massive blow. More than half of their book is not making money and Kusasalethu is the main culprit," Investec portfolio manager Daniel Sacks told Reuters.
Findings of the DMR’s investigation would be communicated in due course.