WHAT IT MEANS: Mine deaths from: illegal activities, younger employees, complacency, carelessness.The deaths of at least three illegal miners in an underground fire in a disused mine at Langlaagte this month is the latest tragedy highlighting issues around mine safety.This is the second reported fatal accident involving illegal miners, called zama-zamas, this year. In April, five men were killed in a rock fall at the disused Klipwal gold mine in KwaZulu Natal. Last year there were numerous reports of illegal miners being shot in turf wars around Springs, to the east of Johannesburg, and Roodepoort, to the west.It has not been a good few months for the formal mining sector either. It is too early to say what the final industry fatality figures will be this year, but several companies have reported a sudden increase in fatal accidents compared with last year.Last year 77 people were killed on SA mines, which was down from 84 in 2014 and compares with 270 in 2003, when the industry com...
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