The recent spate of fatalities is in stark contrast to 2019, when its South Africa gold operations recorded a fatality-free year for the first time in the company's history.

The miner confirmed two employees were fatally injured in a fall-of-ground incident at its Beatrix 4 shaft on Friday.

The accident prompted the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union to repeat its "clarion call" for regulation amendments so mining bosses were held accountable for fatalities.

A Sibanye-Stillwater spokesman told Mining Journal yesterday further investigation, with the involvement of relevant authorities, was being undertaken into the cause of the incident.

"The loss of lives is tragic and the Beatrix operations haven't had a fatality for more than two years (last fatality was on 25 August 2018)," he said.

Beatrix produced 196,698 ounces of gold in 2019 and had a workforce of 7,109 employees and contractors.

The latest fatalities bring the company's total to eight so far this year.

"We experienced four fatalities at our SA PGM operations in Q1 2020, had no fatal incidents during Q2 2020, but since the end of June have experienced four fatalities at the SA gold operations," the spokesman said.

Sibanye-Stillwater's US PGM operations have been fatality-free since October 2011, according to its latest annual report.

Its shares (JSE: SSW) closed up 0.15% yesterday to 4,646c, at the upper end of a one-year range and capitalising it at R124.3 billion (US$7.4 billion).