Royal Bafokeng told to halt mining at one shaft, say insiders - Business Day

On Thursday, mining inspectors ordered Royal Bafokeng Platinum to suspend operations at its North shaft, the second such closure in about a week, according to two people familiar with the situation.

The company was issued with a section 54 notice for the entire shaft, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information was not public. The suspension followed a similar notice a week ago, which resulted in the shutdown of the operation at parts of the South shaft for safety reasons.

Section 54 notices enable inspectors to close all or part of a mine if they have reason to believe it may endanger workers’ safety.

Inspectors from the Department of Mineral Resources returned to the mine earlier on Thursday, according to the people. Ayanda Shezi, a spokesperson for the department, did not immediately return calls. E-mails to the department were not immediately responded to.

Royal Bafokeng Platinum informed Aforika Borwa Mining Solutions — a company linked to the politically connected Gupta family — that it would not renew its contract, the miner said last week.

Gary Naidoo, a spokesperson for the Gupta family, did not answer several calls to his cellphone.

"Any attempt to close the mine will be met with fierce resistance from the communities around the mines," Paul Sebegoe, North West provincial chairperson of the South African National Civic Organisation, said on Thursday in a statement. "Our fathers, brothers, uncles and members of the community are dependent on these mines."

Bloomberg