By Charles Mgbolu
After videos of dead miners trapped underground in South Africa circulated on social media on Monday, authorities are racing to ensure the large-scale rescue operation underway at the disused Buffelsfontein Gold Mine near Stilfontein rescues those trapped alive.
The operation follows a tense standoff and the discovery of trapped miners late last year, prompting intervention from the Ministries of Police and Mineral Resources and Energy.
Officials from the ministry are scheduled to visit the site on Tuesday to oversee the rescue mission owing to the gravity of the situation.
But on the sidelines of the rescue operation is a brewing argument: Who bears the financial brunt of this rescue mission?
Heavy costs
The Department of Mineral Resources estimates the retrieval operation will cost R12 million ($626,332), sparking debate on who should bear the cost: the government or the owners of the disused mine, Buffelsfontein Gold.
A South African Constitutional Court is expected to rule on the matter at an unannounced date.
The challenge is not just finance, but the cost of human lives.
Local media reports more than 10 bodies were retrieved on Monday, with disturbing videos released by the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) showing the corpses wrapped in makeshift body bags.
“For days now, we have been receiving footage from underground where the miners are located, which paints a very dire situation,” Mametlwe Sebei, president of GIWUSA and a human rights lawyer, told reporters in Stilfontein.
At least 100 men who were mining illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa have died of suspected starvation and dehydration since the standoff began last year, a group representing the miners said Monday.
Government priority
Meanwhile, South Africa says a private mine rescue company has commenced the rescue of the trapped miners, with police insisting the government’s priority is to rescue them alive.
The unnamed private company sent a large cage into the mine shaft near Stilfontein, about 140 km (90 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, on Monday to fast-track the rescue operation, state broadcaster SABC reports.
“We can confirm to you that the machine is working. It has brought up seven people,” Mzukisi Jam, of the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO), told reporters at the mine.
“The ministries have been working closely with mine owners and a specialised company experienced in mine operations to finalise detailed plans for the operations, including safety measures and the anticipated duration,” SAPS said in their statement.
Government officials visiting the mine on Tuesday confirmed their presence was to “monitor the commencement of rescue operations” aimed at “ensuring that all illegal miners resurface.”
A persistent problem
Illegal mining, known locally as “zama zamas” (meaning “hustlers” in Zulu), has plagued South Africa for decades.
Driven by poverty and unemployment, many individuals risk their lives daily to enter disused mines in search of remaining precious metals. Reports also indicate the involvement of violent criminal syndicates controlling some of these illegal mining operations.
The situation in Stilfontein escalated late last year when hundreds of illegal miners, fearing arrest during a police operation, went into hiding within the mine. In an attempt to force them to the surface, authorities cut off food and water supplies.
While authorities now hope to bring all survivors to safety, the situation underscores the complex challenges surrounding illegal mining in South Africa, a problem deeply intertwined with economic hardship and criminal activity.
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