Five bodies brought out of Steyn mine

The bodies of five miners were brought up to surface at Harmony Gold's President Steyn 1 mine, which is not officially operational, the company says.

Spokeswoman Marian van der Walt said she understood that five bodies were brought up to the surface, but that further information was not immediately available.

She explained that the shaft was recently closed because of a fire underground. Although there were no flames, there was still smoke.

It was sealed off with warning signs posted to keep people clear of the area, but a group of illegal miners entered the area, which was not safe for mining.

She said these miners were given an amnesty to come to the surface. The company prohibited the sale of food by their staff to the illegal miners.

In the last week 57 illegal miners surfaced. Their tools had been confiscated and their fingerprints taken.

Any who were not South African were sent to their country of origin.

Welkom police spokeswoman Phuleng Motsoeneng said police were called to the mine on Monday morning and were given the bodies.

It was not yet known when the miners died. The bodies were taken to the Welkom mortuary. Police investigations continued.