Female mineworker killed in accident at Harmony’s TauTona service shaft

A female mineworker died in an accident at Harmony Gold’s TauTona mine near Carletonville on 19 July, the company confirmed as it opened a probe into the incident.

What happened

Harmony Gold reported that the employee lost her life at a service shaft at the TauTona operation. Management said it has notified the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and other relevant stakeholders and is providing support to the worker’s family and colleagues.

Company response and investigation

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. We are working with the DMRE and other stakeholders to understand what happened, ensure that lessons are learned and urgently applied, and strengthen our efforts to prevent such incidents from ever happening again,”

Beyers Nel, Chief Executive Officer of Harmony, said in a company statement.

Calls for accountability

The NUM Matlosana region has demanded an immediate investigation and accountability, expressing shock and calling for Harmony to take responsibility for the incident.

Wider safety context

The company said the DMRE and other stakeholders have been notified and that an investigation is under way. Recent DMRE data indicates an overall improvement in mining safety with a reported reduction in fatalities year‑on‑year.

Support and next steps

Harmony management said it is supporting the deceased employee’s family and colleagues while it works with regulators to establish the facts and apply lessons from the incident.

According to The Citizen (Carletonville Herald), the article noted that the company and authorities have been informed and that an investigation is expected.

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. According to The Citizen (Carletonville Herald), this statement appears on the original report.