Liberty Coal confirms tragic death
The company has said that its heartfelt condolences go out to Mr Lombaard’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.
Liberty Coal has officially confirmed the tragic passing of Mr Jan Lombaard, Operations Manager for the Guarding Division at Titanium Securitas.
Mr Lombaard was airlifted to hospital after having been critically injured in a bakkie accident on Friday, August 9.
This accident took place while a team of firefighters were actively monitoring a blaze at the old Optimus opencast workings, at Optimum Coal Mine.
Mr Lombaard was airlifted via an emergency services helicopter on the N11 near Pullenshope.
Liberty Coal stated, “The management teams of both Liberty Coal and Titanium Securitas are saddened by this loss and are in the process of assisting his bereaved family to navigate this difficult time, as well as his colleagues with trauma counselling.”
Liberty Coal also confirmed that they are cooperating with the Department of Mineral Resources to “thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident.”
The formerly Gupta family-owned Optimum Coal Mine officially reopened on April 8 this year, after a lengthy six-year legal battle, in which the Pretoria High Court found that the funds used by the Guptas to purchase the mine were acquired through means of corruption.
As a result of that ruling, the court awarded Liberty Coal with stewardship of both the mine itself and its Richards Bay export terminal.
On August 15, Mr Lombaard would have turned 48.
@middelburgobserver Liberty Coal has officially confirmed the tragic passing of Mr Jan Lombaard, Operations Manager for the Guarding Division at Titanium Securitas. Mr Lombaard was airlifted to hospital after having been critically injured in a bakkie accident on Friday, August 9. This is footage of Mr Lombaard being airlifted on the N11 near Pullenshope.
