Ekapa Mine Mud Rush: Department Launches Probe After 5 Miners Die

Five miners lost their lives in the Ekapa Mine mud rush incident, and now the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources plans a formal probe. The accident happened at the Ekapa Minerals Joint Shaft Mine in Kimberley, Northern Cape, on 17 February 2026. The department announced the investigation on Monday, following a visit by Minister Gwede Mantashe. Rescue teams recovered the first body on 9 March 2026, with the others on 22 and 23 March 2026. This step aims to uncover what went wrong.

The department will launch the probe under the Mine Health and Safety Act. It will look closely at the circumstances of the mud rush. Officials made this clear in their statement on Monday. The goal is to understand the full details of the tragedy at the mine.

Minister Gwede Mantashe visited the site after crews pulled out the last bodies. He went with Chief Inspector of Mines David Msiza and other top officials. Mine managers and rescue teams gave them a full update. They explained the hard work that led to recovering all five miners.

Here is a quick timeline of key events:

• 17 February 2026: Mud rush accident traps five miners.
• 9 March 2026: Teams recover the first body.
• 22-23 March 2026: Rescue crews retrieve the remaining four bodies.

This sequence shows the long effort to reach the trapped workers. It took over a month in total. The updates kept families and the public informed.

During the visit, Mantashe shared his deep condolences with the miners’ families. He praised the rescue teams for their strong work.

Minister Mantashe commended the rescue operation, including support received from the mining sector and Minerals Council South Africa for their due diligence during the rescue operation, as well as for deploying its senior team to support the rescue mission.

The department highlighted this teamwork. For more on help for the families, see the SAnews story about Northern Cape government aid as the last body came out.