By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The bereaved families of the three victims of the Lily Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, are still seeking answers to what exactly happened on the fateful day of the tragedy in 2016.
Sunday marked seven years since the mine in Barberton collapsed, with three of the mine’s employees being trapped underground.
There were initially search and rescue missions to retrieve the remains of Yvonne Mnisi, Pretty Nkambule, and Solomon Nyirenda, but this was later abandoned.
Harry Mazibuko, spokesperson of the bereaved families, says: “All they need is for their loved ones to be found and we as employees, all we need is our outstanding money to be paid, so that we can go wherever we can.”
The employer undertook an investigation as mandated by section 11(5) of the Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996 (MHSA), in which it concluded that the reasons for the failure of the crown pillar could not be established with precision due to the complexity of the crown pillar. The investigation by the employer was completed on the 31st of October 2016.
The report however mentioned some possible causes, including unpredictable and highly variable ore-body geology on strike and dip within a shear zone; low rock stress environment; unpredictable rock mass properties enhanced by highly variable nature of the ore body; effects of the groundwater in the backfill material within the pit during the early stages of mining; the original mine design and layout, and the result of these on subsequent mining operations and blast damage from mining operations over a long period of time since underground mining first commenced. In addition, the report indicated that illegal mining activities taking place on the upper levels, including in the vicinity of where the crown pillar collapsed and regional seismic activity along the Lily fault could have contributed to the collapse.
The investigation report highlighted that the crown pillar was never viewed as a potential risk by the rock engineers since 2008. In addition, the report places emphasis on the fact that no unsafe conditions or procedures were implemented or actioned by the mine management team, professional rock engineers or mining personnel that may have contributed to or caused the accident. More emphasis was placed on the fact that illegal mining activities cannot be overruled as a direct cause of the incident. The report thus found that the employer /owner of the mine, including the mine management were not liable for the incident.
The Department of Mineral Resources (“DMR”) also undertook its statutory obligations in terms of the MHSA. The DMR investigation commenced on the 28th of June 2016 and the final report was produced on the 12th of March 2018 in terms of section 72(1)(b) of the Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996. The general recommendations from this investigation were that no buildings, railways, or any structure should be constructed above the rehabilitated land. It further recommended a comprehensive investigation and detailed risk assessment covering occupational hygiene, engineering, and rock geology to be undertaken. Notably, the report failed to establish the causes of the accident.
Meanwhile ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba is leading a walk to the Lily Mine in Mpumalanga in its two-day commemoration of the tragedy in 2016.
Mashaba said he would ask the mine’s business rescue practitioners to allow the families of the three employees access to the mine.