Operation to retrieve 2 illegal miners from abandoned Roodepoort mine suspended indefinitely

JOHANNESBURG - Mine rescue experts have suspended the search for two illegal miners trapped in an abandoned mine in Roodepoort indefinitely.

This follows safety concerns at the decommissioned gold mine in the west of Johannesburg.

The two zama zamas are believed to have been at the Rand Leases mine for the first time when a rope they were using snapped, trapping them underground.

A rescue operation that kicked off on Monday was called off soon after following safety concerns.

Joburg Emergency Services spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi, said that a new timeline for the rescue operation was yet to be established.

"We don't have a timeframe but that one will be determined by the information we get from the community in terms of which we can explore for now."

Mulaudzi also confirmed that the shaft was initially sealed but was again blasted and tampered with by a group of illegal miners in search of gold.

"The ground around that shaft is not safe. We thought to ensure the safety of the technicians and everyone who is going to be working around that area, let’s call it off and then we reconvene again."