Fatal incident at Harmony Gold’s Target 1 mine under investigation
DMPR leads probe after underground equipment accident claims one life in the Free State
An underground incident involving rock breaking equipment at Harmony Gold Mining Company’s Target 1 mine in the Free State has resulted in the death of one worker, prompting an official investigation.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources is leading the probe to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident, which occurred while a crew was operating rock breaking equipment underground.
Harmony Gold CEO Beyers Nel expressed the company’s commitment to understanding the cause of the incident and preventing future occurrences.
“The safety and wellbeing of our people is fundamental to who we are, and we will honour our colleague’s memory by rigorously understanding what went wrong and strengthening our controls to prevent any recurrence,” he said.
Investigation Underway
Following the incident, mine management secured the site to allow for a thorough investigation. Authorities will examine equipment logs, operational procedures and safety protocols to establish what led to the fatal accident.
The company has not released the name of the deceased worker. Leadership has conveyed deep condolences and confirmed that support will be provided to the family during this time.
The DMPR is expected to release its findings once the investigation is complete, which will inform any further safety interventions required at the operation.
