St Helena bodies recovered
Johannesburg. Sunday, 7 October 2007. Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony) announced today that the bodies of 23 illegal miners have been brought to the surface at its St Helena Gold Mine near Welkom in the Free State.
A fire broke out on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 at the disused section of the St Helena No. 2 Shaft, some 8 kms from the currently operating No. 8 Shaft. Harmony’s Proto teams were dispatched to the mine and the working shifts were withdrawn on that day. The Proto teams were unable to access the disused areas of the mine where the fire had been burning.
Today, a representative of the illegal miners informed mine management, mine security and the South African police that the bodies of the illegal miners that had been caught in the fire had been brought closer to the shaft. The South African police is on the scene recovering the bodies that will be taken to the mortuaries and later to the forensic laboratory to determine the cause of death.
This is considered a criminal matter and is under the investigation of the South African police.
For more details contact:
Graham Briggs
Acting Chief Executive
+27(0)83 265 0274
Tom Smith
Chief Operating Officer
+27(0)84 499 6051
Amelia Soares
General Manager, Investor Relations
+27(0)82 654 9241
Superintendent Makhele
South African Police
+27(0)82 466 7396