All Five Bodies Finally Recovered After Ekapa Mudslide

(IDEX Online) - The bodies of all five workers who were trapped after a mudslide at the Ekapa diamond mine, in Kimberley, South Africa, on 17 February, have now been recovered.

Rescue teams recovered one body on March 9, two more on March 22, and the final two on March 23, ending more than a month of agonizing uncertainty for the families.

Gwede Mantashe, minister of mineral resources and energy has called for a full investigation into the tragedy.

The men became trapped 890m down the mine's Du Toitspan shaft without food supplies, drinkable water or adequate ventilation.

Ekapa Mining filed for liquidation a week later, with the loss of over 1,000 jobs, saying repairs would be costly and could take up to 18 months, which was unachievable under current financial conditions.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is leading court challenges against the liquidation, saying the business should be rescued and calling for workers to receive months of unpaid salaries. It will oppose the liquidation at a court hearing on 17 April.

Ekapa had been mined continuously for 158 years but faced mounting financial pressures amid declining demand for natural diamonds  in recent years, and repeated labor unrest, including NUMSA-led strikes over unpaid wages.

Screengrab, courtesy SABC, shows rescue workers at Ekapa.