Three illegal miners resurfaced at a disused mine in Stilfontein, North West on Thursday afternoon, while the decomposed body of an illegal male miner was recovered by police.
This was revealed by national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. She was speaking at the scene where community members from nearby Khuma township had gathered. Community members have been trying to rescue the illegal miners who are trapped underground at the disused mine.
Mathe said as at 4pm on Thursday, three illegal miners resurfaced. A decomposed body of the illegal miner was also recovered.
She said police are yet to establish the cause of the death of the illegal miner whose body was recovered.
Mathe said police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.
“The pathologists have taken the body, and we will await an autopsy report,” said Mathe.
Mathe said the three illegal miners who resurfaced from underground were attended to by paramedics. They were given food and water, and thereafter they will be processed for their arrest for illegal mining.
Mine is a safety hazard, illegal miners heavily armed
She said police will not allow members of the SAPS and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to go underground. This was because the owner of the disused mine and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said the mine is not safe. They said it is not conducive and habitable for human beings.
Mathe added that another reason is because there is a hazardous gas at the mine. And the illegal miners are heavily armed.
From Thursday morning, police barred community members from assisting illegal miners trapped underground. Community members assist illegal miners by giving food and water to the illegal miners, she said.
“The police we are continuing with our operations. And we are still implementing our strategy. We are ensuring that we are deploying static operations at all these abandoned mineshafts. This to ensure that no food and water goes underground. As a caring government, two days ago we allowed community members to give food and water to these illegal miners. This was so that they can gather the strength to come up.
Illegal miners not trapped, they refuse to come up
“However, it seems that that was not the motive for them. They took the food and water, and they still refuse to come up. There are allegations that some of the illegal miners are refusing other miners to come up. We are investigating that,” said Mathe.
“We reaffirm our stance that we will not allow our [SAPS] members and members of the SANDF to go underground. …And we have been briefed by the owner of the disused mine and the department. The abandoned mine is not safe, and is not habitable. We will not risk our members’ lives. And we encourage the illegal miners to adhere to the call to resurface,” said Mathe.
“We want to clarify that no one is trapped underground. They are simply refusing to resurface. All illegal miners who resurface will be taken for a medical check-up, given water and something to eat. They will then be placed under arrest, deported or processed in the country,” said Mathe.
More than 300 illegal miners still underground
Mathe said there are more than 300 illegal miners still underground at the abandoned mine.
She said around 1,174 illegal miners have resurfaced from the abandoned mine in the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, there were multiple police vehicles and emergency medical services vehicles parked around the area.
A few kilometres away, there were dozens of community members gathered.
Community members say the number is 4,500
One of the community members, Masithembe Tshingana, said around 4,500 illegal miners are trapped underground.
“We are trying to assist our community members who are trapped underground. I have two family members who are trapped underground. And I was traumatised by seeing the decomposed body being taken out,” said Tshingana.
On Friday, police minister Senzo Mchunu, and defence and military veterans minister Angie Motshekga will visit the area. They will be at the disused mine in Stilfontein, where the illegal miners are allegedly trapped underground.
