Second hostage situation unfolds at Gold One Mine in Springs

Gold One chief executive Jonathan Hericourt on Friday morning confirmed that a second hostage situation in as many months is playing out at the company’s Modder East mine in Springs, east of Johannesburg.

“There are 447 employees underground not coming out,” said Hericourt.

He added that this was according to two employees who say they “escaped” as everyone was being rounded up and herded to the same area as before by a group of balaclava-clad people, he said.

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“The two employees were brought to the surface about half an hour ago.”

“They were holding (armed with) various implements that are commonly available underground and there has been no communication since late last night.” He said that the implements may include hammers, sticks, drill steel, etcetera.

Earlier this week, an in-house investigator at Gold One was brutally murdered in an apparent hit in Springs.

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This is a developing story and follows a similar underground hijacking and hostage situation which saw around 500 miners trapped underground for 72 hours by trade unionists from Amcu (Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union).