Mineworker dies in rockfall at Impala Platinum Mine
A mineworker has died following a rockfall at the Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg, in the North West, the company has confirmed.
Implats' Johan Theron says the incident happened earlier today.
"I can confirm that there was a rockfall in which one of our employees was tragically injured.
"Without the benefit of any investigation at this stage, the injured employee was struck by a falling rock," Theron says.
NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu says the incident happened on the eve of the release of the 2016 statistics on health and safety at mines.
"This is the fourth incident in the platinum belt since the beginning of this year."
The mineworkers union is calling on the Department of Mineral Resources to fully investigate the incident.
"I can confirm that there was a rockfall in which one of our employees was tragically injured," Theron says.
Work at the shaft has since been suspended.
Theron says at this stage he's unable to confirm when operations will resume.