A sombre mood prevailed yesterday during the memorial service for the six miners who died in a fire on Sunday at the Palabora Mining Company's copper mine in Phalaborwa, Limpopo.

Relatives of the dead miners spoke of the hardships they would face raising the children of the deceased.

Jerry Malatji said his brother Elliot Maake had left three young children and an unemployed wife.

"It will be difficult for us to raise the children of my late brother. He was a breadwinner and now that he is gone his kids are going to suffer. The mine must do something to ensure continuity in his family," said Malatji.

He also accused the mine of not caring to arrange counselling for the bereaved families, while questioning the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

"We want to know how the deaths occurred inside the refuge bay," he said.

Kedibone Mashigo, the mother of Shaun, said: "I feel I let my son down by allowing him to come and work here."

According to mine spokeswoman Lydia Radebe, two of the employees would be buried tomorrow, while three of them would be buried on Sunday. The sixth employee, Russel Warne, will be buried in Northern Cape on Saturday next week. - Frank Maponya