Officials have detected underground “movement” at a decommissioned gold mine in South Africa’s Free State, where a suspected gas explosion in May resulted in at least 31 fatalities among illicit miners, according to The Associated Press. This discovery raises a slim possibility that survivors may yet be found.
The incident occurred on May 18 in the city of Welkom but was only brought to light recently, South African authorities revealed on Friday. The deceased miners remain underground.
Authorities speculate that the initial number of miners present underground was underestimated and the death toll could exceed 31. Due to dangerously high methane levels at the mine and potential for further explosions, a search operation has yet to be initiated.
“The situation is rather difficult,” said Nathi Shabangu, a spokesperson for the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, on Tuesday.
Shabangu indicated that the government is cooperating with a team of inspectors from Harmony Gold, the firm previously operating the mine, along with mine rescue services, to ascertain whether the detected underground activity is human movement.
Fatal incidents involving unlicensed miners often remain unreported in South Africa, as survivors fear potential arrest if they contact authorities.
The situation at the Welkom mine is further complicated by the fact that the miners hail from neighbouring Lesotho. It took several weeks for their families to report them missing to the Lesotho authorities, who then communicated with their South African counterparts.
Illicit miners typically carry food, water, and other essentials as they anticipate prolonged periods underground. However, the likelihood of finding survivors after the suspected explosion in May remains slim. The Department of Mineral Resources has yet to confirm the nature of the detected movements until further information is obtained, said Shabangu.
A spokesperson for Harmony Gold announced on Monday that due to the mine’s methane levels, “we’re currently not allowing anybody to go there.” The spokesperson confirmed that it is currently too perilous for a search and rescue team to enter the mine.
Illegal gold mining is widespread in South Africa, where individuals risk entering defunct mines hoping to unearth overlooked deposits. However, these ventures often result in fatal accidents.
In 2009, a fire in an abandoned shaft of a different Welkom gold mine caused the death of 82 miners, primarily from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Lesotho, after they inhaled toxic gas.
South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, visited Welkom on Monday, suggesting that the death toll from the recent incident could exceed 31.
Mantashe reported that initial investigations indicate that the explosion last month, in the mine which closed in the 1990s, caused collapses that sealed off access to the shaft where the miners were working. The presence of methane implies that a search operation may take “a bit longer,” he stated.
“If it takes longer, it takes longer,” said Mantashe. “But we must take those bodies out.”
