Central SA
Parliament raises concern over sudden Ekapa closure and missing mine workers─── ZENANDE MPAME 10:56 Fri, 27 Feb 2026
The minister of mineral and petroleum resources will return to the Ekapa mine on Friday (27/2) for further inspection.
Five mine workers have been trapped more than 850m underground following a mudslide. The Kimberley diamond mine shut down with immediate effect on Wednesday after applying for liquidation.
Gwede Mantashe will visit the mine days after it announced its decision to apply for liquidation. More than a thousand miners have lost their jobs and have not been paid their February salaries.
Parliament’s mineral resources committee said it was surprised by the sudden closure of the Ekapa mine. Committee chairperson Mikateko Mahlaule said it is concerning that during the committee’s visit last year, the mine did not indicate any plans to close or lay off workers.
“What troubles me, and I should think the entire community, is that we were at Ekapa in October, the very same mine did not even indicate any troubles,” said Mahlaule. “In terms of closure of the mine and laying off the workers.
“So we are very concerned that five people have disappeared. And then there’s an announcement of the shutdown.”
The company said the decision was not taken lightly but was considered in the best interests of all stakeholders. It mentioned operational, financial, and safety factors as reasons for the closure.
Ekapa said search operations will continue, with the focus on recovering the miners once conditions allow safe access.
The company extended its condolences to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of the missing miners, and said engagement and support for families will continue while respecting their privacy.
“This decision follows a careful assessment, which concluded that the company cannot continue to meet its financial obligations given the prolonged global diamond market downturn, exacerbated by the recent tragic incident,” it said in a statement.
During a briefing to a joint sitting of parliamentary committees on Tuesday (24/2) Mantashe said, “When they start loading the mud, they are closer to the bodies, and once they are closer to the bodies, they will take them out.
“You cannot talk about life after five days having been overrun by a mud rush. You must do what is called a presumption of death.”
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