JOHANNESBURG - Parliamentary Mineral Resources Committee Chairperson Mikateko Mahlaule says there was no indication that the Ekapa Mine was facing imminent collapse.
Mahlaule said the committee visited the mine in Kimberley in the Northern Cape in October last year and were left with a positive impression.
“When we left, we were of the impression that it is the future of diamond mining in South Africa,” he said.
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The mine announced on Wednesday that it would shut down with immediate effect and has since applied for liquidation.
The development comes more than a week after five mineworkers were trapped following a mud rush underground. They are presumed dead.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) suspended operations on Friday after Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul, and Kimberley Mayor Barbara Bartlett visited the site.
At the time, Mantashe said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the incident but promised a thorough investigation.
Rescue teams say rising water levels and difficult drilling conditions have made search and recovery efforts extremely challenging.
READ: Ekapa mine disaster |Cameras show water levels underground subsiding
However, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said on Tuesday that cameras show water levels subsiding as draining operations continue.
NUMSA representative Nkosikhona Lila said once the water has been fully pumped out, teams will begin removing mud in the hope of recovering the miners.
In a statement, the company said continuing operations was no longer financially or operationally viable.
“After careful consideration of all operational, financial and safety factors, the boards and shareholders of Ekapa Resources and Ekapa Minerals have concluded that continuing to operate the business as a mining and processing company is no longer viable,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, 385 workers have reportedly not been paid this month.
The closure marks the end of 158 years of continuous diamond mining in Kimberley.
Ekapa said search operations will continue, with the focus on recovering the miners once conditions allow safe access.
Mahlaule said the committee remains concerned about the timing of the shutdown.
“We are concerned that five people disappear and then there is an announcement of a shutdown at the mine,” he said.
He added that Parliament would closely monitor developments and ensure accountability.
READ: Trapped miners | Operation at Ekapa Mine suspended amid search
The incident has drawn comparisons to the Lily Mine collapse in Barberton, Mpumalanga, in 2016, where three miners -- Solomon Nyirenda, Pretty Nkambule and Yvonne Mnisi -- were trapped in a container that fell into a sinkhole. Their remains have yet to be recovered.
“We hope the DMPR and the mine do not subject the country and the families to another Lily Mine,” Mahlaule said.
He reiterated that the committee will keep a close watch on recovery efforts and the investigation into the incident.