The Pretoria High Court has dismissed a case brought by the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution, which sought urgent humanitarian relief for illegal miners reportedly trapped in Stilfontein, North West.
Story Summary:
- The Pretoria High Court dismissed an urgent relief case for miners in Stilfontein, ruling there is no evidence of a humanitarian crisis.
- Police argue that miners are avoiding arrest, while resurfaced miners claim armed enforcers are holding others underground.
- The court emphasised that the mine owner, Buffelsfontein Gold Mines, holds primary responsibility for miners’ safety.
Stilfontein latest updates: Pretoria court dismisses application for humanitarian relief
The relief application, targeting the police, health, and cooperative governance (COGTA) departments, requested food, water, medical aid, and emergency supplies for the miners underground.
The judgment comes as 14 miners surfaced from Shaft 10 in Stilfontein under cover of darkness, challenging claims of a humanitarian crisis.
High Court Judge Brenda Neukircher ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that police actions blocked safe exits for miners or contributed to unsafe conditions underground.
The court highlighted the availability of the Margaret Mine Shaft, a safer exit that miners reportedly have access to.
The State argued that the situation in Stilfontein does not constitute a crisis.
Instead, law enforcement maintains that illegal miners are refusing to resurface out of fear of arrest.
The court accepted the argument, stating that the responsibility for safety measures lies primarily with Buffelsfontein Gold Mines, the mine owner.
Judge Neukircher also noted that while the plight of the miners is concerning, there is no legal basis to compel the State to provide emergency relief in this specific case.
Miners who resurfaced shared alarming claims of being held underground by armed enforcers.
According to one miner, a group of at least 10 heavily armed individuals, allegedly from Lesotho, confiscated supplies sent underground, forcing miners to continue extracting gold under duress.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe affirmed that these allegations align with intelligence reports, describing the situation as a criminal operation rather than a humanitarian crisis. Mathe stated:
“This confirms what we suspected: food and water sent underground were seized by the armed men to sustain illegal mining activities, not to assist trapped individuals.”
Authorities maintain that the miners can leave the shafts but are choosing to remain underground to avoid arrest.
The court supported this view, rejecting claims that police are obstructing safe exits.
The ruling leaves the miners in a precarious position, with no immediate plans for State-provided aid.
Police have pledged to continue monitoring the site and addressing illegal mining activities.
