Emotions ran high on Friday afternoon when residents of Khuma in Stilfontein, North West, accused National Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of xenophobia and not caring about the lives of illegal miners holed underground in an abandoned mine in Stilfontein.
The residents reiterated that the illegal miners are “trapped” at the disused Buffelsfontein gold mine. They accused Mchunu of not stating the truth by saying the illegal miners are not trapped. The Buffelsfontein mine has many shafts.
These scenes played out on Friday afternoon. Dozens of Khuma residents gathered at the Ngwenya Hotel & Conference Centre in Stilfontein for a community engagement meeting.
Meeting with community members and affected families
Mchunu met affected families of the illegal miners who are still holed underground the abandoned mine. He was accompanied by deputy police minister Polly Boshielo and deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili. North West community safety and transport management MEC Wessels Morweng was also present.
Mchunu first met with the task team led by Morweng and Mosikili. The aimed to obtain a progress report on measures which will lead to the resurfacing of illegal miners. The number of illegal miners holed underground is unknown. Mchunu was previously in Stilfontein two weeks ago to establish the task team.
Prior to the engagement, the residents were singing and chanting struggle songs inside the venue. While singing, the residents were carrying placards.
Some placards were written: “Say No To Genocide,” “Stilfontein, Next Marikana,” “No one must be smoked out,” and “Black Lives Matter,” among others.
Delegates from the South African Human Rights Commission were present. Also delegates from the SA Federation of Trade Unions were present during the community engagement.
When the engagement started, resident Johannes Qankase said he does not support criminals underground. However, he did hasten to say government must save lives.
“All human lives matter. We should not be xenophobic and label miners by their nationalities. And we should rescue everyone down there. We have been using a rope to rescue the miners. That is not enough. We need mine rescue experts with their expertise to help us,” said Qankase.
Government too slow to rescue “trapped” illegal miners
Community leader Thembile Botman bemoaned government’s alleged slow pace in helping the illegal miners resurface. Botman urged Mchunu to ensure the task team speeds up its rescue operations for the illegal miners.
Resident Khandisa Mantu echoed the sentiments of Qankase and Botman.
Meanwhile, the case of 14 illegal miners who were arrested after they resurfaced on Sunday night was postponed to December 10 2024.
The 14 Mozambican nationals were arrested on Sunday night after they resurfaced from the abandoned Stilfontein mine.
North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone, said the 14 illegal miners were remanded in police custody. They will return to the Stilfontein magistrate’s curt on December 10 2024. Mokgwabone said the suspects are facing charges of illegal mining.
A 14-year-old Mozambican national was among the 14 illegal miners arrested, all males.
Mokgwabone said the minor will be handled in terms of the Child Justice Act.
87 illegal miners resurfaced this week
He said the Department of Home Affairs will also work with social workers and a doctor to confirm the age of the minor.
On Monday, 20 illegal miners resurfaced from Margaret Shaft. And on Tuesday, 16 illegal miners resurfaced from Margaret Shaft.
On Wednesday, 20 illegal miners resurfaced at Margaret Shaft. The illegal miners include 10 Lesotho nationals, six Zimbabweans and four Mozambicans.
On Thursday, 17 illegal miners resurfaced. Of the 17, 14 resurfaced from Margaret Shaft and three from Shaft 10. The 14 who resurfaced from Margaret Shaft are from Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
In total, 87 illegal miners resurfaced this week. All the illegal miners who resurfaced this week were arrested and appeared at the Stilfontein magistrate’s court.
More than 13, 691 illegal miners arrested since December 2023
Mchunu said 1,313 illegal miners have resurfaced across North West since August this year. This was thanks to police’s Operation Vala Umgodi.
Operation Vala Umgodi began in December last year. Since its inception in December 2023 to date, more than 13, 691 suspects have been arrested. The arrests were made in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining.
Police have seized R5-million in cash and uncut diamonds worth R32-million through the operation. The majority of those arrested include, but not limited to, South Africans, Mozambicans, and Basotho nationals.
