Hopes Rise for Survivors After Movement Detected at Harmony Gold Mine
There may be survivors trapped underground in an unused
mining shaft in Welkom, in the Free State, where at least 31 illegal miners -
believed to be Basotho nationals - were killed during a methane explosion in
May 2023, reports EWN. The mining shaft, previously operated by Harmony Gold
Mining Company over 30 years ago, may still have survivors trapped underground.
Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe says
movement has been detected underground, indicating the presence of potential
survivors. However, rescue efforts have been hindered by high levels of methane
gas, making it dangerous for a rescue team to enter, the company's spokesperson
Sihle Maake said. Harmony and the mining department are working together to
find safe solutions to retrieve the remaining bodies.
Food Inflation is Cooling, but Load Shedding Could Offset
Relief
South Africa's food inflation may be cooling, but consumers
still face sticky prices due to load shedding challenges, reports News24. The
Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) believes that the country is
seeing the first signs of a "solid turnaround" in its inflation
picture, with food inflation expected to continue a downward trend in the
coming months. However, load shedding costs could offset some of the relief
offered, and low-income households are still struggling to afford food.
South African Traveller Learns the Hard Way As His Biltong
is Seized by U.S. Customs
A South African traveler tried to bring 38kg of biltong (dried
meat) into the United States, but it was seized and destroyed by customs
officials, reports News24. The traveller had declared the biltong, but it was
confiscated because it is illegal to bring cured and dried beef from South
Africa into the U.S. due to the risk of animal diseases. The traveller tried to
argue that the biltong was expensive, but the officials refused to let him keep
it. This incident is a reminder that travellers should be aware of the
restrictions on bringing food into the U.S.