Police Minister Senzo Mchunu
By Mpho Moloi
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu has announced that efforts to rescue hundreds of illegal miners, known as “zama zamas,” from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West, are facing significant challenges due to hazardous underground gases and the presence of armed individuals.
The government is actively working to formalise artisanal and small-scale mining to address the surge in illegal mining activities across the country. A second draft of the artisanal and small-scale mining policy was released for public comment in 2021 and was anticipated to become law by early 2024. However, bureaucratic delays have hindered its finalisation.
During a recent meeting with community leaders in Stilfontein, Minister Mchunu provided updates on the ongoing plans to extract the trapped miners. He emphasised that the government is collaborating with industry leaders to develop strategies, including stricter measures for sealing and rehabilitating disused mines. Mchunu clarified, “But I must qualify this – the artisanal mechanism that I’m talking about, it will only be designed for South Africans around those mines the DMRE [Department of Mineral Resources and Energy] believes can still benefit the communities around those places.”
The rescue mission has encountered obstacles, notably security threats from armed illegal miners and elevated levels of toxic gases underground. Despite these dangers, Minister Mchunu affirmed the government’s commitment to proceed, stating, “We’re going to agree with them which day next week they are going to start because they are saying they are ready.”
In addition to deploying a cage to bring miners to the surface, alternative exits, such as Harmony Gold’s Margaret Shaft, will remain accessible for the zama zamas. Community members may also be permitted to use a rope and pulley system to assist in the extraction process.
The situation has been further complicated by legal and humanitarian concerns. A Gauteng High Court ruling recently mandated that police allow essential supplies—including food, water, and medical aid—to reach the miners, addressing reports of starvation and illness among those trapped.
Minister Mchunu has also addressed the role of local communities in the crisis, cautioning residents against providing supplies to the miners, as such actions may inadvertently prolong the illegal activities.
The government is under pressure to balance law enforcement with humanitarian considerations. National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza acknowledged the dilemma, stating that “Operation Vala Umgodi” at the Stilfontein mine presents a challenge between enforcing the law and protecting the human rights of illegal miners.
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