Suspected illegal miners underground at two shafts in Stilfontein, North West, may be in for a longer wait for much-needed aid — despite another court ruling in their favour.
This as four more miners, also known as zama zamas, resurfaced on Monday morning.
The Pretoria high court on Sunday ordered the North West community safety and transport MEC, police and mineral resources ministers, along with several other respondents, “within two hours of the court order being handed down, allow community members, charitable organisations and interested parties to in an orderly manner provide humanitarian aid including water, food and medication to the artisanal miners trapped underground at shafts 10 and 11 of the Buffelsfontein gold mine”.
This is pending the finalisation of the application, which will be heard on December 5 in the same court. The latest application was brought by community-based organisation Mining Affected Communities United in Action.
Community leader Thembile Botman said the aid has not been sent underground yet and appeals for aid are ongoing.
“We’re still busy fundraising or requesting anyone who can assist with aid to come forward,” he said on Monday.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/authors/khanyisile-ngcobo/
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