At least 14 illegal miners resurfaced from underground in Stilfontein and according to police, this development negates the notion of a humanitarian crisis unfolding at the shaft.
Story Summary:
- A total of 14 illegal miners were caught trying to escape from an abandoned shaft on Sunday night.
- The miners, among them a 14-year-old, were identified as Mozambican nationals in South Africa illegally.
- SAPS asserts that the Stilfontein situation is not a humanitarian crisis.
Stilfontein latest news: What we know about the 14 illegal miners
Speaking to the media, national SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed the miners were spotted attempting to flee out of Shaft 10 in the dead of night.
According to police, the suspects “chose to come out late at night, thinking police are not standing static.”
This shows the two shafts (Shaft 10 and 11) are linked and no-one is trapped. They can come out but are refusing to resurface because they are avoiding arrest,” Mathe said.
Several others spooked by the presence of authorities ran back underground.
When interviewed, the captured miners painted a different picture of what was allegedly unfolding in the gold mine.
According to them, the Stilfontein saga is more of an underground hostage situation than a humanitarian crisis, where miners are trapped.
One of the suspects told police that there were at least 10 heavily armed enforcers from Lesotho forcing thousands of miners to dig for gold.
While this claim stands to be tested, Mathe assured that this was further proof that SAPS’s “intelligence is at work and they confirmed what we suspected.”
“They told us the food and water that has been sent down was confiscated by the heavily armed men and not given to the miners. They are keeping it for themselves because they want to continue illegal mining operations,” she said.
This development comes less than a week after judgment was reserved on an urgent application brought by the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution, seeking relief for miners trapped underground.
The North Gauteng High Court, on Thursday, 21 November 2024, heard arguments on whether law enforcement efforts to block access to certain shafts are hindering miners from exiting safely.
High Court Judge Brenda Neukircher questioned the claims made by the applicants, particularly the lack of evidence that police are obstructing lawful exits.
The State has argued that miners are not trapped but are choosing to remain underground for fear of arrest.
Judge Neukircher emphasised that the Margaret Mine Shaft, deemed safer, has been made available for miners to exit.
The court will deliver a decision no later than Monday, addressing whether the State has provided sufficient care for the miners and if the mine owner, Buffelsfontein Gold Mines, should bear greater responsibility for their safety.
