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The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is extremely saddened that its female member was fatally injured at Tshepong Mine in the Free State Province on Monday. Tshepong mine is a Harmony operation.

NUM National Health and Safety Secretary Erick Gcilitshana said the deceased was a loco guard and  was killed by a derailed guard hopper.

As the NUM, we are worried that she died during women's month as we commemorate and honour more than 20 000 brave women who marched to the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956 in protest against the extension of  pass laws in South Africa.

The NUM fought very hard for women to be allowed to work underground in the mining industry, but we did not fight for them to be killed in fatal accidents.

The continuous fatal accidents in the mining industry are serious, abominable and unacceptable.

The NUM calls upon the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to continue with the investigation  and must leave no stone unturned.

The NUM is of the view that one death in the industry is just one death too many...production should not and must not be at the expense of mineworkers' lives.

It is unacceptable that mineworkers are denied their basic human right to work in an environment that guarantees their safety, and that instead they are expected to go to work to die.

The NUM would like to convey its deepest and heartfelt condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time. May her soul rest in peace.