Illegal miners
Illegal gold miners entering a mine. Image-Daily Maverick
(The Post News)– Community volunteers from the Stilfontein area in the North West province have recovered the decomposed body of an illegal miner. The group of men took it upon themselves to assist those who are trapped underground to resurface.
This discovery comes a day after a group of five suspected illegal miners were brought out of the mineshaft. The villagers reportedly utilized ropes to carry out their life-saving effort and haul up the malnourished men who had been underground without access to food or water. Speaking for the police, Athlenda Mathe confirmed that a decomposed body was recovered and the cause of the deceased’s death is being investigated.
Teams led by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Defence Force (SANDF) are closely monitoring the mines, as earlier this month, illegal miners were forced to surface after law enforcement sealed off their water and food supplies in Orkney.
More than 1000 miners have since resurfaced and been arrested with several charges, including illegal mining laid against them. An estimated 4,500 illegal miners are suspected to still be trapped and have reportedly been underground for several months.
Residents are calling for the government and law enforcement to assist the illegal miners. However, the police have refused to enter the shaft and retrieve those who are still stuck underground, citing safety concerns. Stilfontein resident Mojalefa Kotane has been one of more than 20 people who are volunteering their time in trying to save lives. In his act of kindness, he said all he is trying to do is save a human life. “These are our people. We can’t sit and watch them die just like that. They are not animals; they are part of families,” he said.
The minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said no help would be sent to criminals. “We will not be sending help to criminals. They will come out on their own; we can’t help them;no one sent them to do illegal activities, and criminals must be prosecuted.” Ntshavheni said.
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