Goldfield miners mourn their colleagues

Gold Fields' South Deep mine workers today gathered to mourn the death of nine colleagues.

Flags were flying at half mast as workers stood in groups reflecting on the accident that claimed the lives of their co-workers.

They were awaiting the start of a memorial service, due to begin at 11am. Lungela Tyekana -a worker at the mine, said he had worked side-by-side with the dead. "Their death has robbed me, how can I forget them? They were like my family ... now I have lost them," he said tearfully.

Eight contract workers employed by Murray and Roberts and a woman employed by Gold Fields were killed on Thursday last week when a rope on a sub cage winder snapped and the cage plunged 58 metres. - Sapa