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5 miners trapped underground following mudslide in South Africa's Northern Cape

Xinhua
| February 17, 2026
2026-02-17

CAPE TOWN, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Five miners have been trapped underground following a mudslide on Tuesday morning at a mine in South Africa's Northern Cape, local media reported.

According to South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at the Ekapa Mine in Kimberley, the capital city of Northern Cape Province.

A search and rescue operation is underway, SABC News reported, quoting the mine's management.

"Communication with the miners has been cut off, and they remain unreachable for now," the report said. "Families of the missing miners have been informed."

Meanwhile, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said it is seeking access to the Kimberley mine.

"We're waiting for management to confirm for us... what happened to those workers who are trapped underground," SABC News quoted NUMSA Kimberley local secretary Tshimologo Mahase as saying. Enditem

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