A complex underground rescue operation to reach five miners trapped at the Ekapa mine in Kimberley is expected to take longer than anticipated as emergency teams battle rising water levels nearly one kilometre below the surface.
The miners have been trapped since Tuesday after a mudslide blocked access routes deep underground, triggering an urgent multi-agency response. Rescue crews have been working around the clock to reach the workers, but deteriorating conditions inside the mine are complicating efforts.
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe visited the Northern Cape site on Friday to assess progress and meet with mine management and rescue specialists. During his oversight visit, he confirmed that water influx underground remains the primary obstacle slowing the operation.
Authorities have enlisted geological experts to determine the source of the water entering the affected area and to advise on measures to stop the inflow at its origin. Meanwhile, drilling operations aimed at reaching the trapped workers are being conducted from a distance, forcing teams to rely on estimates of the miners’ location.
Mantashe expressed concern about the likelihood of survival after several days underground without rescue, describing the situation as increasingly bleak. He noted that extended mine accidents involving multiple fatalities are classified as disasters under industry standards.
Rescue teams remain on site as efforts continue, though officials warn that the operation may ultimately shift from rescue to recovery if conditions do not improve.