About 300 miners trapped underground at Sibanye-Stillwater's Kloof mine
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said they 've been stuck since Thursday after an object fell in the shaft.
A picture showing the Sibanye-Stillwater Masithembe mine shaft. Phill Magakoe / AFP
JOHANNESBURG - About 300 miners are reportedly trapped underground at Sibanye-Stillwater's Kloof mine in Westonaria, Johannesburg.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said the miners have been beneath the surface since an object fell into the shaft on Thursday.
There are no reports of injuries or deaths, however, the union said the miners have no access to food and water, and it's concerned about their safety.
The principal inspector of the Department of Mineral Resources has also been at the scene as operations to rescue the miners are underway.
"The incident started yesterday [Thursday], but we are told that it's an engineering problem. It looks like something fell on the shaft, but we're still gathering information and also to try to get the preliminary report," said NUM spokesperson, Livhuwani Mammburu.