News

Update: 6 recovered from Gloria Mine

Personnel at the Gloria Mine are hard at work to restore the power in one of their shafts, where an unknown number of cable thieves have been trapped following an explosion.

February 8, 2019

Sjani Campher 2 minutes read

According to a media statement, Brigadier Leonard Hlathi announced that the bodies of 6 people have been recovered thus far.
This includes the bodies of two men which were recovered by the blast survivors, and four others who got stuck in the shaft’s entrance.

A journalist from www.mobserver.co.za spoke to Mr Mike Elliot from Gloria Mine to track the progress of rescue operations.

Mr Elliot went on to explain that the thieves initially gained access to the mine by attacking and assaulting the security officers at the entrance.

Also read: Number of trapped people in mineshaft increases

He stated that these copper thieves are part of a crime syndicate who operate in a very proffessional manner.
“They are usually very heavily armed and well kitted out with all of the equipment necessary to strip the mineshafts”, he said.

Mr Elliot went on to explain that the shaft was in perfect order before the raid and that ventilation and electricity to the shaft were in working order.
“They cut the over-head power cables, to eliminate the power supply within the shaft so that they could strip the shaft of the copper cables without being electrocuted.”

Also read: BREAKING NEWS: 22 trapped in Gloria mineshaft

Two of the underground transformers were also gutted for their parts, and this led to the carbon monoxide build-up within the shaft that ultimately suffocated them.

The proto teams have been testing the shaft for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen and methane levels.
Transformers are on loan from Optimum Mine so that rescuers can suck fresh air into the shaft.

Elliot said that he has arranged for some cables, equipment and support from other mines and that those efforts alone has already cost the Mine millions.

Also read: Update: One confirmed dead, others still trapped in Gloria mineshaft

When asked what the estimated cost of damages were so far, Elliot gave a rough round up.
“The two transformers that were damaged costs around R30 million, plus all of the cabling which is another four to five million rand. There is really no way to determine the extent of damage that was caused.”

Cable thefts are fuelled by scrap yards and second hand metal dealers who purchase stolen copper. If the purchase of second hand scrap metals were to be criminalised, it would eliminate the market and the problem would go away.