ActionSA is organising a prayer session to commemorate 2000 days since the families of the Lily Mine victims began their vigil outside the mine.
The session will be led by Thoko Mashiane, ActionSA’s Mpumalanga provincial chairperson, and Harry Mazibuko, spokesperson for the families, among others.
The vigil is scheduled for 7am outside Lily Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on Sunday.
Mashiane said the event aims to remember one of South Africa’s most tragic mine disasters and to reinforce the call for justice and closure for the victims’ families and the wider Barberton community.
Eight years since 2016 tragedy
It has been eight years since a container with three people inside was trapped under the earth following a ground collapse.
During this incident, 87 miners were successfully rescued. But Pretty Nkambule, Solomon Nyirenda, and Yvonne Mnisi have remained 80 metres below the surface since February 5, 2016.
“As ActionSA, we continue to stand in solidarity with the families. The families believe it is of high importance to inform ActionSA in whatever they do.
“ActionSA as well as the families believes that South Africa deserves to know that they are still waiting outside the mine for justice to be served. And this Sunday will mark 200 days since they began their vigil outside the mine,” Mashiane.
She told Sunday World that the gathering is expected to expose and draw attention to the empty promises made by the government.
Sunday World previously reported that the families of the victims expressed no faith that change is coming.
This after the parliamentary portfolio committee on mineral resources and petroleum’s intervention in the matter.
This intervention was aimed at recovering the remains of the three workers.
Reopening of the mine set to help retrieve victims’ remains
The committee was pleased with the progress Vantage Goldfields had made in securing funding to reopen the gold mine. The reopening was scheduled for end of September.
This is supposed to pave the way for retrieving the bodies of the three victims.
“ActionSA remains committed to holding the government accountable for delivering justice and closure to the victims of the Lily Mine tragedy and their families.
“After more than eight years of delays, broken promises and missed opportunities for resolution, we expect the government to finally act with urgency,” said Mashiane.
She believes that true progress hinges on the state upholding the rule of law. Compelling private companies to meet their obligations and ensuring the National Prosecuting Authority takes swift action.
