Harmony Gold Mining Company, South Africa's third-largest gold producer, on Monday said 294 illegal miners have been charged and will be criminally prosecuted as it clamps down on criminal mining.

These illegal miners were brought to surface at the company's Eland shaft in the Free State in the past two weeks.

The bodies of 36 illegal miners were also brought to surface by fellow illegal miners at the shaft during the weekend. The miners reportedly lost their lives following an underground fire in an abandoned area.

Harmony also announced tightened security measures as of Monday.

"We continue to address the issue of criminal mining on a daily basis, together with the South African Police Services, the Department of Justice, the National Prosecuting Authority and other affected mining companies," said Harmony CEO Graham Briggs.

Briggs said initiatives instituted included the tightening of security at shaft heads; daily search operations underground and improved access control measures.

It is not known if other criminal miners have died.

Harmony said it would not deploy its own employees on underground searches since the abandoned mining areas where the illegal miners have been active are considered extremely dangerous.

Production was not affected by the incident.

At 2.04pm shares in Harmony were 39 cents down at 96.80 rand on the JSE.

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