Miners could be trapped in sealed off Angelo mine shaft
Dozens of illegal gold miners are believed to have been trapped underground, at the unused Angelo mine shaft.
Residents in the informal settlement say, they fear about the health of the miners after the closure of the narrow hole that gives access to the abandoned mine shaft.
It is believed that hundreds of illegal miners had gone underground to pan for gold at the mine’s mining site, before their point of entry and exit was sealed.
Living Africa closed the shaft using concrete, on Tuesday, October 8, after reports that the shaft was allegedly used as entry and exit point by hundreds of illegal gold miners.
However, when the property owners visited the area the following morning, they found that the hole was reopened, and according to information obtained from witnesses, about 30 people were seen exiting the shaft and others were seen going underground, on Wednesday morning.
This time, Living Africa employees closed the whole using concrete, boulders and gravel.
It is unclear how many people could have been underground at the disused mine’s mining sites.
Residents question the property owner’s decision to close the shaft without any inspection exercise to verify whether there was anybody underground.
“It is clear this is a disaster waiting to happen,” speculates one of the informal settlement’s community leaders.
So far no people from Angelo informal settlement reported as missing since the closure on Tuesday.
Lieut Mathanda Ngobese, spokesperson for the Boksburg SAPS said he cannot rebut the reports, because there is no proof that there was anyone underground during the closure of the hole.
No comment was received from Living Africa regarding the matter at the time of going to press.
