At least 30 illegal miners at the disused Harmony Gold mine are reported to have died and are still trapped underground after being killed by methane last week.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Mr Lejone Mpotjoane briefed the Members of Parliament in the National Assembly about this tragedy on Monday.

He said one person who survived the tragedy reported that one victim is suspected to have lit a cigarette while working underground, leading to the methane explosion and killing of 30 Basotho from Lesotho.

Mr. Mpotjoane told the Members that efforts are still underway to bring the bodies of the diseased out of the mine, adding that the Lesotho Consulate Office in Welkom in the Free State is working tirelessly with their South African counterparts to bring the bodies out of the mine.

However, he noted that reports say it is not easy to bring the bodies out since the Mine was disused and it would not be easy to bring them out.

The Minister stated that most of the victims are from the Berea district.

It is not the first time Basotho have died in illegal mining in South Africa where they work at disused mines to dig gold and sell it to earn their living.

Source: LENA 29/05/2023