Hundreds of South African gold miners, who had been trapped underground for over four days due to a dispute, began surfacing on Monday as witnessed by reporters.
More than 400 miners were held below ground in Springs, situated east of Johannesburg, starting Thursday evening, mirroring a similar three-day protest that occurred in October, according to the Gold One company.
Groups of miners commenced their ascent to the surface on Monday morning, with some displaying raised fists while passing a security fence near the mine entrance. Outside the mine, a few dozen workers and relatives, who had been camping there, cheered as the miners emerged.
“We are getting reports that the situation is reaching a conclusion and that people are starting to emerge from underground,” Ziyaad Hassam, head of legal affairs at the Gold One mine in Springs, Gauteng province, told media.
One of the workers emerging from below-ground conditions shared with media that the situation had become intolerable due to minimal food and water supplies.
Gold One reported that a small faction of workers, wearing balaclavas, had held their colleagues “hostage” on Thursday, preventing them from reaching the surface. This incident was linked to disciplinary actions following the prior standoff in October, resulting in approximately 50 dismissals, explained Hassam. The rebel miners demanded reinstatement.
Over the weekend, around a dozen miners either escaped or were released on health grounds, Hassam said. By Monday, conditions underground had deteriorated significantly, with reports of dehydration and worker conflicts.
“We are concerned about the health and safety of all the employees,” Hassam said.
