By Johnathan Paoli
The crisis at Stilfontein mine in the North West continues to escalate as six more illegal miners emerged from Shaft 10 on Sunday morning.
This brings the total number of miners who have resurfaced this week to 47, all of whom have been arrested.
North West police spokesperson Adele Myburgh confirmed that all detained miners would appear in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“Operation Vala Umgodi will continue through the festive season,” Myburgh said.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that approximately 15 bodies remain underground, raising fears that starvation, hazardous conditions and police actions have contributed to these fatalities.
Emerging miners have dismissed allegations of cannibalism, a claim circulating in some media outlets over the weekend.
The Stilfontein Crisis Committee (SCC) and advocacy groups have condemned the spread of such allegations, urging the media to report responsibly on what they call a humanitarian disaster.
Despite police claims that miners can leave voluntarily, advocates argue the situation is far more dire.
A fact sheet compiled by Lawyers for Human Rights and the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) highlights the physical and logistical impossibilities of independent escape.
Following the LHR report, the SCC has insisted that food and aid were shared equitably underground despite months of severe shortages.
The report said that the demands for condiments could be explained, as one survivor described rationing to the extent that “a tablespoon of tomato sauce or mayonnaise could stave off hunger for 24 hours”.
The SCC has called for increased transparency and accountability from authorities and media, emphasising that misinformation and biased narratives are costing lives, influencing public sentiment and impacting rescue efforts.
Earlier this month, the North Gauteng High Court ruled against requiring state departments to provide aid to the trapped miners, with the decision drawing criticism from human rights organisations and community leaders who argue that the government and the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine Ltd. have failed in their legal obligations.
The mine, abandoned in 2015, was left without proper closure or rehabilitation, allowing what they describe as artisanal miners to operate in dangerous conditions.
The SCC alleged that the mine’s neglect has burdened the Stilfontein community with environmental degradation and economic despair.
With the festive season underway, families of the trapped miners, many of whom relied on them as breadwinners, remain desperate for answers. And, community-led rescue efforts, supported by Macua and the Mahlasedi Foundation, continue to face logistical and financial hurdles
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