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The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy says it received reports of the deaths of at least 31 Basotho nationals in a Free State mine shaft.
In a statement, the Department said that they are believed to have died inside a ventilation shaft at a mine in Virginia.
Minerals and Energy said the information was relayed to them by Lesotho's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that a group of illegal miners died in the ventilation shaft on Sunday.
"Although the information on this tragic situation comes sporadically, we are doing our utmost best to act on the information, including information regarding three bodies which have been reported to be retrieved and brought to the surface by other illegal miners."
The Department said that working in collaboration with the previous owners of the mine, Harmony, the DMRE inspectors have assessed the situation and determined that methane levels at the mine ventilation shaft 5 are very high.
"As such, it is currently too risky to dispatch a search team to the shaft. However, we are considering various options to speedily deal with the situation,” the statement said.
