Gold One Mine has described the death of one of the investigating officers as a tragic loss of life. The 55-year-old man was fatally shot close to the Gold One Modder East Operations in Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand on Tuesday.
It is understood the man was investigating the instigators behind the October underground sit-in, ahead of disciplinary hearings.
Over 400 workers have once again not surfaced since last night at the Springs Mine.
“We all are very concerned about this situation, it’s a very tragic loss of life. A senseless loss of life for one of our long-serving employees. So, it is a concern for us as mine management and we are taking every precaution. We can to ensure that security is beefed up. It’s difficult for us to share any details of an ongoing investigation. But his notes are still available. All of that has been handed to the police,” says Head of Legal at Gold One Mine Ziyaad Hassam.
Gold One Mine says it has received information that some employees are being held underground against their will. This is as unions and mine management try to establish if miners are staging a sit-in.
Over 400 workers remained underground at the Gold One mine in Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand since last night.
This follows another protest in October when about 500 workers did not resurface for days.
Hassam says investigations are underway to determine the motive of the sit-in.
“Shortly after the commencement of the night shift, it became apparent that employees who were underground were not going to come out. There’s a small group of people in balaclavas. So, we don’t know their identity, but they are holding the rest of the employees against their will. Some will be sitting in solidarity, but a large number, we are told, are being held against their will. At least 70 out of the 447 employees are middle management or contractors. They are certainly being held against their will. Two employees escaped in the early hours of this morning and they have confirmed that people are being held against their will,” says Hassam.
