The department of international relations and co-operation on Saturday could not confirm reports that a South African was among those missing after an explosion in a New Zealand mine.
“Our guys here are talking to the South African embassy in New Zealand to verify reports that a South African is missing (at the mine),” said the department spokesman, Saul Molobi.
“We will be able to confirm whether this is true later today.”
French news agency, AFP, reported that New Zealand police confirmed that there were five foreign nationals, one of them a South African, among the 29 missing after a mine explosion.
Two Australians and two Britons were also missing.
“There has been no contact with the men since the explosion on Friday afternoon at the Pike River mine on the west coast of the South Island,” the news agency reported.
It said that although search teams were at the site since the blast, they were held back from entering the shaft because of concerns over possible poisonous gases in the mine.
Only two people escaped the blast. - Sapa