By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African Police Services (SAPS) has assured the nation that law enforcement officials will provide necessary medication, including ARVs, in a coordinated manner to the illegal miners trapped in Stilfotein.
Addressing the media on Monday, deputy national police commissioner responsible for policing, Tebello Mosikili emphasised that the illegal miners face arrest.
“People are continuing to commit crime unabatedly and they should be dealt with accordingly and that will be implemented without fear or favour because we have, for 12 months, launched Operation Vala Umgodi to ensure that criminality doesn’t persist,” she said.
Mosikili explained that health protocols must be adhered to before any medication can be delivered to the illegal miners.
This follows an interim order by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, directing authorities to provide necessities, including medication such as ARVs, to those underground.
The court also ruled that no one may obstruct the miners’ entry or exit.
Mosikili stated that the exact number of zama zamas underground remains unknown but confirmed that a plan is being developed to assess the requirements for the rescue operation.
She indicated that law enforcement officials have not yet ventured underground.
“How many [people] is still a mystery for us as the authorities which will be clarified and determined by the team that go [underground] after those safety precautions have been undertaken.”
Mosikili further told the media that necessary equipment has been deployed to assess the situation, after which all emergency protocols outlined in the court order will be implemented.
She added that the operation was not only focused on miners, but was also aimed to target the kingpins behind illicit mining, with the ultimate goal of shutting down all illegal shafts.
South Africa is a mineral-rich country. According to official estimates, it holds nearly 30% of the world’s gold deposits and 88% of all platinum deposits.
But many mines have closed down in recent years and miners have been laid off, contributing to a black market that costs the South African government hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
While gold remains a valuable commodity, rising mining costs – exacerbated by electricity disruptions and deeper deposits – have made the vast majority of mines unprofitable, according to the Minerals Council of South Africa.
In a bid to survive impoverished circumstances, miners and undocumented migrants are increasingly entering closed mines to dig up their remaining deposits.
Some spend months underground, and illegal mining has spawned a small economy providing food and cigarettes to the miners.
North West Community Safety MEC, Wessels Morweng, said a rescue team will be deployed to retrieve hundreds of illegal miners trapped underground in Stilfontein, with operations potentially starting tomorrow.
The retrieval efforts face significant technical challenges due to the mine’s 2km depth, requiring specialised machinery and lifts to facilitate the operation.
“Once we’ve addressed certain technicalities like the finances, the team can start as soon as tomorrow and it will take them two days,” said Morweng.
Morweng stressed that the illegal miners would be arrested.
“Criminals are criminals, they will be arrested. People must not have selective amnesia. Not so long ago the (Zama zamas) raped young girls in Gauteng that were shooting a music video. These are people that are cruel,” the MEC said.