We care and we remember - Minerals Council South Africa

August 12, 2024

Marikana, 12-16 August 2012

Violence triggered by escalating labour unrest at Lonmin’s Marikana mine resulted in the death of 44 people between 12 and 16 August 2012, in what is known today as the Marikana tragedy. Of the 44 people who died, 34 were shot by police on 16 August, the remaining 10 people, including security guards, mineworkers and police officers, were killed between 12 and 14 August.

July 24, 2024

Mponeng, 29 July 1999

The fatal explosion at Mponeng, previously known as the Western Deep Levels No 1 shaft, occurred in an access tunnel lying 2.7 kilometres below the earth’s surface. A short time after the explosion, the mine’s rescue teams were working underground to bring 20 uninjured people to surface and to recover the bodies of the 19 who had lost their lives.

February 15, 2024

Merriespruit, 22 February 1994

On 22 February 1994, the Merriespruit No 4 tailings dam failed after a torrential downpour with an estimated 600,000m³ of water. Tailings poured over a distance of 4km engulfing 80 Merriespruit homes and claiming the lives of 17 people in the gold mining town of Virginia in South Africa’s Free State province.

December 01, 2016

Rovic, 27 November 1996

On 27 November 1996, a mudslide occurred 1,000m underground at the Rovic Diamond Mine in the Free State, claiming the lives of 20 people. Another two people were badly injured and 54 rescued from danger. The bodies of 16 men were never recovered, having been buried under thousands of tonnes of mud.

September 16, 2016

Kinross, 16 September 1986

On this day in 1986, 177 miners lost their lives, and another 235 miners were injured in one of South Africa’s worst mining disasters.

September 12, 2016

Hlobane, 12 September 1983

The Minerals Council South Africa and the coal industry remembers the 64 miners who lost their lives in a methane explosion at the Hlobane colliery, near the town of Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal. The explosion was South Africa’s second most deadly colliery disaster.

August 31, 2016

St Helena, 31 August 1987

On 31 August 1987, a methane gas explosion at the St Helena gold mine in Welkom caused a mine elevator to plunge 1.4km to the bottom of the mine shaft, claiming the lives of 62 people. These miners were being transported in a double-deck elevator for their morning shift at the mine’s No. 10 shaft. More than 300 miners, who were in the shaft at the time of the explosion, managed to escape by working their way through tunnels that led to other shafts.

July 29, 2016

Mponeng, 29 July 1999

It was just before midnight on Thursday, 29 July 1999 that a methane gas explosion claimed the lives of 19 miners at Mponeng, the world’s deepest gold mine. And while we bow our heads in mourning the men’s untimely deaths, our distress is leavened by the knowledge that 20 men were brought to surface safe and sound.

July 21, 2016

Hartebeestfontein, 21 July 1997

On this day, 26 years ago, 18 miners lost their lives to rockfalls as earth tremors, that measured an estimated magnitude of five on the Richter scale, shook the Hartebeestfontein Gold Mine, near the North West Province town of Klerksdorp.

May 13, 2016

Middelbult, 13 May 1993

On 13 May 1993, a methane gas explosion 130 metres below the surface at Sasol Mining’s Middelbult colliery near Secunda, started an underground fire that resulted in the death of 53 mineworkers. A further seven employees were injured.

May 10, 2016

Vaal Reefs, 10 May 1995

A tragedy occurred at the Vaal Reefs’ #2 Shaft near Orkney in North West province, when an underground locomotive crashed through a barrier into the shaft at a level of 1,700 metres below surface, falling onto a conveyance that was transporting 104 mineworkers underground. The impact caused the conveyance to plunge 2,300 metres below surface to the bottom of the shaft.

April 09, 2016

Ermelo, 9 April 1987

At 18:30 on 9 April 1987, a methane gas explosion at the Tafelkop Shaft at Ermelo mine, east of Johannesburg, claimed the lives of 35 mine workers and injured 17 as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The explosion occurred about 350m below surface in the old section of the Gencor-owned coal mine, resulting in an inrush of carbon monoxide to the working places of the 9 West 1 South panel.

February 24, 2016

Gloria Colliery, 24 February 1994

At 00:45 on 24 February 1994, an underground fire at Gloria Colliery, Koornfontein, Mpumalanga, resulted in 33 mineworkers being trapped 180m underground. 17 employees who made their way to a refuge bay were rescued, but tragically 16 employees died in the incident.

January 21, 2016

Coalbrook, 21 January 1960

21 January 1960 will be remembered for the Coalbrook disaster, one of the worst mining accidents in South Africa, in which the lives of 435 men were lost.

TIP-OFFS ANONYMOUS HOTLINE

Marikana, 12-16 August 2012

Mponeng, 29 July 1999

Merriespruit, 22 February 1994

Rovic, 27 November 1996

Kinross, 16 September 1986

Hlobane, 12 September 1983

St Helena, 31 August 1987

Mponeng, 29 July 1999

Hartebeestfontein, 21 July 1997

Middelbult, 13 May 1993

Vaal Reefs, 10 May 1995

Ermelo, 9 April 1987

Gloria Colliery, 24 February 1994

Coalbrook, 21 January 1960

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