A mineworker died at Goldfields' Beatrix mine in the Free State yesterday, the National Union of Mineworkers said.

A mineworker died at Goldfields' Beatrix mine in the Free State yesterday, the National Union of Mineworkers said.

"A rockdrill operator died when he drilled into a misfire, which then caused an explosion. A winch driver has been wounded in the process," said spokesman Lesiba Seshoka.

A misfire occurs when a drill hole filled with explosives fails to explode. Yesterday's incident brought the number of mineworkers killed while on duty this year to 70 .

Seshoka said union members will be marching to the Chamber of Mines' office in Johannesburg on Saturday to hand over a memorandum demanding that mine safety be improved. He called on the mine industry to "put …