By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Ekapa Resources and Minerals in Kimberley, confirmed five missing miners are now presumed dead following a catastrophic underground water flood and mud rush.
In a media statement issued on Wednesday, February 25, the mining company has announced that it is with deep regret that five miners who went missing on February 17 remain unaccounted for and are now presumed dead.
The disaster struck at approximately 00:55 at the 890 metre level of the Du Toitspan Joint Shaft, the lowest mining level of the operation. A sudden surge of water, mud, and rock inundated the newly developed underground area within minutes, rendering the level inaccessible.
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe also provided an update on the state of the mine on Tuesday during a briefing from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) on illegal mining.
“Up to yesterday [Monday], a lot of water has been drained from Ekapa. Up to now, about 1 000 cubic metres of water have been drained. Today, the mud is being dug out to retrieve the corpses from underground,” he said.
He said that he will visit the Ekapa site again on Friday and has assumed the presumption of death, “because there’s no likelihood that after all these days, there would still be life”.
According to Mantashe, the mining sector recorded 41 fatalities in 2025 and he warned that beginning this year with such an incident is “a bad sign for the industry”.
While still reeling from the tragedy, shockwaves intensified on Wednesday afternoon when the mining company announced that it had applied to court for liquidation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Ekapa Minerals and Resources says the diamond industry has experienced unprecedented pressures over the past 18-months.
This includes reduced global demand, the rise of low-cost synthetic diamonds, and tariffs.
Ekapa said it had a plan this year to shift towards the mining of higher-grade kimberlite rocks, particularly at its Du Toitspan shaft.
However, the shaft has now been closed indefinitely after the mudslide last Tuesday, which led to the five miners being trapped.
The mine said search operations for missing miners will continue,subject to safety considerations. The company has thanked mine rescue teams, emergency services, regulators and industry partners for their support during what it described as an exceptionally difficult period.