More than 1,700 scared, exhausted and hungry workers have been rescued after hours deep in a crippled gold mine during a dramatic all-night operation, and efforts gathered speed yesterday to bring hundreds more to the surface.
There were no casualties when a pressurized air pipe snapped at the mine near Johannesburg and tumbled down a shaft, causing extensive damage to an elevator and trapping more than 3,000 miners on Wednesday.
The hundreds of workers who remained underground were all near a ventilation shaft and had been given water -- though no food for fear of provoking a scramble among miners who had been underground for nearly two days, said Peter Bailey, health and safety chairman for the National Mineworkers Union.
The nation's minerals and energy minister and the head of the mining company Harmony Gold Mining Co vowed to improve safety in one of South Africa's most important industries.
"We have to recommit ourselves to refocus on safety in this country, our safety record both as a company and an industry leave much to be desired," Harmony chairman Patrice Motsepe said, according to the South African Press Association, as union officials accused the industry of taking short cuts on safety in the interest of profit.
At the mine, general manager Stan Bierschenk said that the firm hoped to complete the rescue by lunchtime, although Bailey said late afternoon was more realistic.
Most of the workers were stranded 1.5km underground at the Elandsrand mine and had to be brought to the surface in a second, smaller cage in another shaft.
Sethiri Thibile, one of the first miners rescued, clutched a cold beef sandwich and a bottle of water he was given when he reached the surface.
"I was hungry, though we were all hungry," said Thibile, 32, an engineering assistant who had been underground since 5am on Wednesday.
"Most of the people are scared and we also have some women miners there underground," he said.
One miner, who did not wish to give his name, said that conditions underground were deteriorating. He said the men were trapped in a confined area that stunk of urine and feces.
"The morale of the family members is low, the morale of colleagues of the trapped miners is naturally low," Bailey said. "There is a lot of anger toward management."
Family members stood outside the mine offices, complaining that they had not been given enough information about their loved ones trapped underground.
"I am very traumatized, exhausted, not knowing what is going on," said Sam Ramohanoe, whose wife, Flora, 31, was among the trapped miners.
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