The weighty AM 65 Road Header – commonly known as an underground coal cutter to the uninitiated – was unveiled at Talana Museum recently to coincide with a meeting of the South African Colliery Managers Association. SACMA.
One of only two such machines in Africa – the other one is in Mozambique – this Austrian built monster, known as imvukuzane (mole), comes in at 55 tons and 11 metres in length.
Now 30 years old, it was considered state-of-the-art mining equipment in its heyday. After seeing service at various coal mines in the country, the mole landed at Zululand Anthracite (near Ulundi) in 1990 and worked there until 1995.
However, its rich history will carry on under the stewardship of Talana Museum. Thanks to Jan Buys and his team from Sandvik – suppliers of mining machinery – and Zululand Anthracite and their holding company, Menar, it was decided to add the Road Header to the Dundee museum’s already impressive mining machinery display.

Tribute was paid to Museum curator, Pam McFadden, for her unswerving passion and dedication to preserving local history of which mining plays an integral part.
Kevern Mattison, general manager of Buffalo Coal who donated the construction of the concrete plinth on which the Road Header now rests, said his company will ensure the mole gets a regular coat of paint to stay in tip-top and presentable condition.
Mr Mattison is also the current chairman of SACMA. Friday’s general meeting was also attended by the president of the SA Colliery Engineering Association, Jerris Subramoney.