Pretoria – The high court in Pretoria has issued an interim order that allows any miners trapped in the shaft at the abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West, to exit.
Reports suggest that thousands of illegal miners – known as Zama Zamas – are stuck underground with no food and water after the police cut off supplies to force them to exit.
The SABC reports that Community volunteers from Khuma near Stilfontein in the North West have resumed their operation to retrieve illegal miners who are underground at shaft 11, in one of the disused mines in the area.
The operation was halted on Friday, (15 November 2024), due to rainy weather.
Only one Zama Zama was rescued alive before the operation ended for the day.
The SABC reports that the operation manned by community volunteers has entered its fourth day.
So far, eight illegal miners have been retrieved from underground and brought to the surface.
The decomposed body of an illegal miner was also retrieved earlier in the week.
On Saturday, the Society For the Protection of Our Constitution took the matter to court.
The respondents are four ministries – Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Police, Health, and Mineral Resources.
The government had previously refused to assist the miners, but pressure has come to bear, with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu saying rescue experts would be roped in to assist in rescuing the miners.
Meanwhile, Justice Brenda Neukircher on Saturday, (16 November 2024), said in her judgment that “having heard counsel for the applicant and the respondents and having read the document filed of record” it is ordered that:
1. The application is postponed to Tuesday, 19 November 2024 at 10h00
2. Costs reserved
3. Pending finalisation of the application:
- 3.1 the mine is Stilfontein, which forms the subject matter of this application, shall be unblocked and may not be blocked by any person or institution whether government or private
- 3.2 any miner trapped in the mine shaft shall be permitted to exit;
- no non-emergency personnel may enter the mine shaft
Commenting on the court order, national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said: “The order does not in any way prevent SAPS from performing its constitutional mandate.
“All those who resurface will continue to be assessed by emergency medical personnel on site, as has been the case.
“Those that are in good health will be processed and detained.
“Those who require further medical care will be taken to the hospital under police guard.”
By late Saturday, three more miners were rescued by the community.
North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng is the chair of the rescue team.
