An initial investigation suggests that the damage in the mine shaft occurred when a hatch was opened at the Kloof mine west of Johannesburg.
"After a detailed risk assessment, it was decided that employees would stay at the mine station until it is safe to proceed further, to avoid having to travel long distances at present," writes the company Sibanye Stillwater in a statement.
According to the trade union NUM, which represents the workers at the Kloof mine, they have been trapped for over 24 hours.
We are very concerned since the mine did not even report this incident until we reported it to the media, says spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu.
The mining company believes that all those trapped will be able to be rescued.
