Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Minerals Resources has recommended that a full inquiry into last year’s deaths of 13 miners at the Impala Platinum mine in Rustenburg, North West, be conducted.
The committee has also requested Minister Gwede Mantashe to closely monitor the process.
Last year, 13 miners lost their lives and 73 others were injured, when the winding rope connected to a cage that hoists people up and down the mine shaft started moving downwards unexpectedly.
The committee on Tuesday adopted a report following its oversight visit at various mine shafts in the North West and Gauteng last month.
The committee’s Content Advisor Sivuyile Maboda read the report to the members.
“The Committee on Mineral Resources recommends that the house requests Minister Mantashe to monitor closely the imminent inquiry into the accident.
He must also ensure that sustainable measures are permanently put in place to prevent illegal mining activities,” said Maboda.
The report further recommends that Mantashe must also ensure that there are “successful approaches to address issues relating to women in terms of personal protective equipment and safe sanitary.”
Mantashe is also tasked to ensure that there’s sufficient capacity and resources for the mine’s health and safety inspectorate.
The release of the report comes as Wednesday 27 November marks a year since the tragic incident happened, which was described as one of the worst accidents in the country in the past two decades.