"We have got 955 employees still underground, they are in a confined and safe area, it's the shaft waiting area (and) there is ventilation, we are supplying them with water and food," James Wellsted, spokesman for Sibanye-Stillwater, told AFP. "We are having some issues -- probably related to the power surge linked to the storm -- in getting the winders working, so we are busy working on that issue at the moment," he added. "AMCU views this incident as extreme due to the sheer number of workers involved," it said in a statement. "The incident raises serious concern regarding the lacking emergency contingency plans at the mine for alternative and back-up power generation. "It said workers' lives could be in danger, especially if they were on medication.Another mining union the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) complained about mine safety and called on mineworkers to refuse to work in "dangerous conditions".

Source: Egypt Today February 01, 2018 19:18 UTC