Ekapa Kimberley Mine Shuts After Mud Rush Traps Five, Company Files Liquidation

Ekapa Resources and Ekapa Minerals announced on 25 February that the Du Toitspan/Joint Shaft operation in Kimberley, Northern Cape, would close with immediate effect and that both companies had filed for liquidation after a mud-rush on 17 February trapped five miners at the mine’s lowest working level. Rescue teams and company officials now describe the five miners as unaccounted for and presumed dead following days of drilling, pumping and specialist assessments.

The early‑hours surge of water, mud and rock on 17 February inundated underground workings and cut off access to the lowest level. Cameras lowered into the shaft found no signs of life, and specialist teams reported tunnels filled with mud and water, a combination they described as making survival impossible. Reports place the trapped miners between around 800 metres and almost 900 metres underground; company technical plans and rescue logs have not yet been released to reconcile the differing depth figures.

Ekapa Mining’s CEO Jahn Hohne expressed condolences and framed the closure as unavoidable on financial and safety grounds, saying repairs to the Du Toitspan shaft could take up to 18 months and were “unachievable under current financial conditions.” Company directors told shareholders that “this decision follows a careful assessment which concluded that the company cannot continue to meet its financial obligations given the prolonged global diamond market downturn, exacerbated by the recent tragic incident.”

The shutdown has immediate labour consequences. SABC reported that over 1,000 workers have been left jobless and salaries have not been paid; other industry reports place about 1,200 jobs at risk and cite 385 workers who had reportedly not been paid this month. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said it was “shocked” by the liquidation and will approach the courts; NUMSA representative Nkosikhona Lila said once water is fully pumped out, teams will begin removing mud in the hope of recovering the miners. One employee, Mothibeli Leshoro, said colleagues were not told earlier and pleaded only for payments so they could “pay our rents and debts,” adding that workers could not boycott because that would interrupt rescue efforts.

Political and industry bodies have demanded accountability and immediate action. Mikateko Mahlaule, chairperson of Parliament’s Mineral Resources Committee, recalled a positive committee visit in October and said, “When we left, we were of the impression that it is the future of diamond mining in South Africa.” He voiced concern at the timing of the shutdown: “We are concerned that five people disappear and then there is an announcement of a shutdown at the mine.” The ANC Parliament Study Group urged the Ekapa group to lower underground water levels and complete search and rescue, while Minerals Council CEO Mzila Mthenjane said, “Finding the five people who are reported missing in the mud rush is the priority.”

The closure also carries historical weight: Jahn Hohne said the move “marks the end of 158 years of continuous diamond mining in Kimberley,” a legacy the company said it acknowledges “with humility and respect.” Company and union statements indicate search operations will continue when conditions permit, while Parliament and labour lawyers prepare to scrutinize the liquidation filings and the technical reports that underpin the decision.