Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has dismissed calls to distribute antiretrovirals (ARVs) to illegal miners trapped in Stilfontein’s abandoned mine shafts, citing medical and legal regulations.
Story Summary:
- Dr Aaron Motsoaledi ruled out distributing ARVs to trapped miners without proper medical prescriptions, citing ethical and legal concerns.
- Reports suggest that approximately 4,500 illegal miners remain underground in Stilfontein, living in dire conditions without food or medical care.
- Operation Vala Umgodi continues, with over 1,000 miners emerging since October, while authorities consider long-term solutions to illegal mining.
Motsoaledi insists infected miners can’t receive ARVs without a prescription
Speaking during an interview with Newsroom Afrika, Motsoaledi said:
“Antiretrovirals are not Panado; they are not over-the-counter medication. They require a doctor or nurse to prescribe them after a medical examination.”
Motsoaledi’s stance directly contradicts earlier remarks by Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili, who assured the media that ARVs would be delivered to the trapped miners.
Responding to Mosikili’s statement, Motsoaledi questioned its feasibility:
“How will ARVs be distributed, and under whose name will they be prescribed? Without a medical diagnosis, it’s legally and ethically wrong to hand out such medication.”
A handwritten note believed to be from the miners surfaced recently, pleading for ARVs and raising alarms about the health of HIV-positive individuals underground.
Reports suggest that the miners, many of whom have been underground for months, are living in dire conditions without food, water, or basic medical care.
Human rights groups have expressed concern about the deteriorating health of the trapped miners, particularly those reliant on ARVs for HIV treatment.
Community members who have engaged with the miners describe them as “too weak to come up,” amplifying calls for urgent medical intervention.
What’s the latest in the Stilfontein illegal mining crisis?
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) continue their operation, dubbed Operation Vala Umgodi, to dismantle illegal mining networks in Stilfontein.
The operation involves sealing off mine access points and cutting off supplies to force the estimated 4,500 zama zamas still underground to the surface.
Since the operation began on 18 October 2024, over 1,000 illegal miners have emerged, citing extreme hunger and dehydration.
However, efforts to aid those still underground remain fraught with controversy, with critics questioning the morality of withholding food and medical supplies.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for caution in dealing with the miners, highlighting the hazardous conditions of abandoned mines:
“Illegal mining is a form of criminality that has caused a great deal of anger and anguish in communities.”
The rescue efforts faced a temporary suspension over the weekend as law enforcement tightened its presence around the mine.
Volunteers had previously used a 1,800-meter rope to pull miners to the surface, but this method has paused amid heightened tensions.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway to implement long-term solutions to illegal mining in the region.
Authorities aim to permanently shut down operations at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine, a hotspot for zama zama activities.
