By OBAKENG MAJE
17 November 2024- The rescue operation at Old Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein, has been halted. According to the police, the rescue operation that is expected to assist to bring to surface over 1000 illegal miners, who are underground, will resume on Monday.
There is an impasse between the police and illegal miners, who are believed to be heavily armed underground. Three months ago, the police cut the supply of food and water to these illegal miners who are underground in quest of forcing them to come to the surface.
On Friday, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu engaged in a consultative meeting with community representatives to come up with a plan to rescue these illegal miners. The community members accused the police of showing no respect to human lives after cutting the supply of food and water to these illegal miners and allegedly blocked some entrances.
This allegedly forced the Society for the Protection of our Constitution to go to the North Gauteng High Court on 16 November 2024, and seek interdiction against the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Minister of Police, Minister of Health and Minister of Mineral Resources.
The court order reads: “The application is postponed to 19 November 2024, at 10am. The cost has been reserved and pending finalisation of the application. The mine shaft in Stilfontein, that forms the subject matter of this application, shall be unblocked and may not be blocked by any person or institution whether government or private.
“Any miners trapped in the mine shall be permitted to exit. No non-emergency person may enter the mine shaft.”
Now, the national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told Newzroom Afrika that, the strategy that they are implementing, they have implemented it because they are concerned that there is human life in the disused abandoned mine shaft.
Mathe said they have received a report from the mine owner and the Department of Mineral Resource and Energy (DMRE), indicating that this particular abandoned disused mine shaft is not safe.
“Firstly, there are hazardous gases that are flowing and the terrain is not quite well. So, you cannot expect our Men and Women in Blue to go down there. As you can see for yourself, it is quite steep.
“So, so who do you expect to go down there and rescue these people? That is why the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu directed the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, to establish a team that will convene a meeting and come up with a plan that will ensure that illegal miners are brought up.
“I can confirm that a particular team has convened a meeting and the decision was taken that a mine rescue expert will come and conduct an assessment. That assessment report will have an outlook of the operational plan that will be presented to the ministers,” she said.
Manthe further said then, the ministers will provide a way forward. She added that, however, they stand firm with their operations.
Meanwhile, the Operation Vala Umgodi task team in the North West continues to call upon those illegal miners, who are still underground in the Stilfontein area, to return to the surface. The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said in line with safeguarding lives, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF), have allowed for water and food to be delivered to those underground so that they can safely resurface.
“The police and other safety officials will remain in place in the North West until all illegal miners resurface and are arrested. The SAPS call on these illegal miners to resurface so that they can get relevant help or aid, including any medical attention that may be required. “We appeal to the community in the area to allow the police space to do their job. The SAPS will not allow criminality to thrive,” he said.
Mokgwabone said to date, more than 1,000 individuals have resurfaced from illegal mining activities, and efforts are ongoing to ensure that those who remain underground resurface. He said today, only three illegal miners have resurfaced.
“The SAPS will continue to stamp the authority of the state without fear or favour,” said Mokgwabone.
The Guardian 