The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources in South Africa (SA) says it has recorded 33 mine fatalities in 2026 so far. It says Impala Platinum (Implats) contributed over a third of those fatalities.
The department, together with Implats management and mineworkers’ union, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, met with thousands of Impala mineworkers at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium near Rustenburg in North West province.
The Emergency Safety Briefing followed concerns around increasing mine fatalities at Implats operations in Rustenburg.
The mining company temporarily suspended operations at its Rustenburg complex for five days, to conduct a comprehensive safety reset.
Senior Inspector of Mines at the department Jeanette Phefo, “To date we have lost 33 employees compared to 38 that we had lost in the past year. Rustenberg region on its own, we have lost 12 employees to date, and Impala has contributed to over a third of those accidents. So we really hope and believe that you had the message. We are going to go back to your operations and work safely as individual and as teams,”
—SABC—
