Lily and Barbrook Gold mines in Barberton, Mpumalanga, are set to be reopen in November.
Lily mine ceased operations after the 2016 disaster where three miners – Pretty Mabuza, Solomon Nyarenda and Yvonne Mnisi – were left trapped after the ground caved in.
Barbrook also stopped production following the disaster. Siyakhula Sonke Empowerment co-operation has come to their rescue.
Siyakhula Sonke Empowerment Co-operation recently secured R190 million needed to buy the mine.
The new investors have also promised to resume the search for the three miners.
Meanwhile, police have arrested ten people at Sinqobile in Barbeton, where the residents have been protesting against the mines operating in the area.
Commuters were left stranded and teaching and learning interrupted as there was no transport in the area. The residents are demanding employment of locals in the mines and also want the removal of mine Human Resource Manager Sello Mashabela.
Police say those arrested are facing charges of malicious damage to property and public violence. Police spokesperson Mntsholi Bhembe says, “We are doing everything in our power to make sure that we maintain law and order as it is. We have got a number of ten people which have been arrested in different dates since the start of the strike. Two cases have been opened one public violence and the other one is malicious damage to property.”
