Nine people who were trapped underground have been safely brought to the surface at the Joel mine which falls under the management of Harmony Gold in Theunissen, in the Free State.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union spokesperson, Xolani Bokoloshe, says eight men and a woman went underground on their night shift on Wednesday. They were supposed to return to the surface on Thursday morning but could not because the mortar of the mine cage got burned. The cage is used to transportBokoloshe says engineers managed to fix the mortar of the cage and mine workers were then returned to the surface. They have been taken to the medical station for medical attention.