In an industry where daily operations carry significant inherent risks, CAPM’s Tau Mine has achieved a historic milestone by recording two million consecutive fatality-free shifts.
The landmark safety achievement was officially celebrated on-site in Orkney on Thursday, 12 November 2026, drawing a high-profile delegation that included CAPM executive leadership, mine management, regulatory officials, and the mine’s dedicated workforce.
The event was attended by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aaron Wang, General Manager (GM) Warren Freeman, and the DMRE Inspector of Mines, Basimane Mpina, alongside CAPM management and employees who gathered to reflect on the rigorous safety culture that drove this success.
The CAPM Tau Mine is a gold mining operation located in Orkney, within the Matlosana local municipality of the North West province, South Africa.
Addressing the workforce during the celebration, Wang emphasized that the achievement belongs entirely to the employees, praising their collective vigilance.
He noted that the milestone demonstrates what can be accomplished when teams look out for one another and actively prioritize safety during every single shift.
Expressing gratitude for the discipline and unwavering commitment demonstrated across all operations, he urged the workforce to carry this exact same spirit into all future shifts.
““This achievement belongs to every one of you. It shows what is possible when we look out for one another and choose safety every single day. Thank you for your discipline, your vigilance and your unwavering commitment. Let us carry this same spirit into the next shift, and the one after that,” said Wang.
The milestone was realized under the leadership of General Manager Warren Freeman, who highlighted the human value behind the operational data. In his address, Freeman stated that reaching two million fatality-free shifts is an extraordinary accomplishment, particularly within a challenging underground environment where employees are routinely exposed to severe hazards.
He reminded those in attendance that behind these figures lie human lives, representing countless occasions where workers entered their deep-level environments and returned safely home to their families.
“Reaching 2 million fatality-free shifts is an extraordinary milestone that deserves recognition, celebration and reflection. In an industry where our employees are exposed daily to significant hazards, particularly in our challenging underground environment, this is no small accomplishment. Behind the numbers lies something far more important — human lives. Two million shifts represent countless occasions when our employees entered their workplaces and returned safely to their families,” said Freeman.
According to mine management, this achievement was built on a foundation of consistent hazard identification and proactive risk control, paired with heavily empowered Health and Safety Representatives.
A culture of leadership that consistently puts safety first, combined with individual employees choosing to execute their duties safely every day, served as the primary drivers for the milestone.
While celebrating the success, management reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe workplace by ensuring employees always have the necessary resources and tools to mitigate operational dangers.
Supervisors and management also urged workers never to struggle in silence, encouraging open communication and advising anyone facing operational difficulties to immediately seek guidance and support.
Company leadership concluded by noting that this milestone does not mean underground workplaces are entirely free from danger, nor does it suggest that the work is complete. The risks associated with underground mining remain ever-present, and management warned that complacency remains one of the greatest threats to operational safety.
Sincere appreciation was extended to Freeman, his management team, supervisors, safety professionals, health and safety representatives, and every employee and contractor whose vigilance made this possible.
While the team pauses to celebrate this monumental achievement, leadership recognizes that it is not the finish line, emphasizing that safety is a daily discipline where the most important shift is always the next one.
An official and public celebration will be held on a date still to be announced, as the mine maintains its ultimate objective of ensuring every employee reports for duty and returns home safely every single day.
