The Star Reporter|Published5 hours agoTragedy strikes Ekapa Mine as five mineworkers become trapped in mudslide

Five mineworkers are reportedly unaccounted for after a mud rush at the Ekapa Mining Joint Shaft in Kimberley. In the early hours of Tuesday, 17 February, a catastrophic mudslide at Ekapa Mine in Kimberley led to thetragic entrapment of five mineworkers, igniting a significant search and rescue operation aimed at bringing them back to safety. As the drama unfolded, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) expressed profound distress over the incident and emphasised the urgent need for intervention.

Mosepedi Sanane, the NUM’s Kimberly Regional Secretary, conveyed the union’s immediate concern for the impacted workers and their families. “The NUM’s immediate priority is the safe return of these mineworkers to their families,” he stated, embodying the collective anxiety felt within the mining community. Sanane added, “Our hearts and prayers are with the families and colleagues of the trapped workers during this incredibly difficult time.

We are holding onto hope that they will be found alive and brought to safety.” The search efforts have reportedly commenced with full vigour, drawing in resources from multiple agencies. However, while the focus rests on their safe recovery, the union has urged the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and all relevant stakeholders to begin a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster. “We demand a transparent process to establish the exact cause of this disaster and to determine if there were any lapses in safety protocols,” Sanane asserted emphatically. The NUM remains adamant about seeking the truth behind this unfortunate event and ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to fortify the safety of mineworkers across the nation.