[miningmx.com] — THERE has been a blood bath at a mine owned by Aurora Empowerment Systems, a company headed by MD Zondwa Mandela and chairman Khulubuse Zuma, nephew of the South African president.
A group of guards allegedly went on a rampage on Monday shooting about 20 people in a mine in Springs. The Sowetan did not name the mine but it’s thought to be the Grootvlei operation, the only asset Aurora has in that region of the South African mining industry.
According to a report in The Sowetan, a newspaper, some four bodies were discovered a kilometre underground yesterday during an investigation.
The bodies were supposedly left to rot underground, but one of the survivors called for help.
It is alleged that some corpses were retrieved underground by the security company using a “safe shaft” following the incident.
Another survivor claimed that he had lost his two brothers during “the senseless killings”.
He said he managed to evade death by fleeing and hiding in the underground corridors pretending to be dead.
“They used the Aurora Gold East Rand Ndlovu shaft because it is safer. They took out about four bodies but we did not know where they came from,” the man told The Sowetan.
Locals have accused the police of refusing to dig out their relatives.
Johannes Ramphoro, a Springs police spokesperson, told The Sowetan that the police were not aware of any bodies underground.
“We know that security guards arrested five people in possession of gold concentration and digging equipment that included generators and gridding machines,” said Ramphoro.
“Anyone with a complaint who was ignored by the police should also come and report to our office and we will act,” he added.
Meanwhile, the five people who were allegedly arrested for the incident have been released on R1,500 bail.
