Mineworkers Unions have called on South African President – Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently intervene to amend the safety legislation at mines to enable greater rights to refuse to work in hazardous situations.

The search is underway for a missing mineworker at the Sibanye-Stillwater mine’s Ikamva shaft, near Westonaria, West of Johannesburg after four other miners died due to heat and gas exposure.

Last month seven miners died at the company’s Masakhane shaft and close to 40 miners have been killed at mines across the country so far this year.

Meanwhile, Amcu President, Joseph Mathunjwa claims that a mine manager had forced workers to go underground despite the Mineral Resources Department ordering a stop on production.