The High Court in Pretoria has ordered that the mine shaft in Stilfontein, North West, where suspected illegal miners have been retrieved must be unblocked for emergency personnel and that no person should block it.
This comes after the Society for the Protection of our Constitution approached the court on an urgent basis.
The court further orders that any miners underground should be permitted to exit and that emergency personnel may enter the mine shaft.
Attorney Yasmir Omar, who represents the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution, says the order follows a stance taken by some government officials.
“This was subsequent to remarks made by various ministers of government, especially the minister in the presidency (Khumbudzo Ntshavheni) saying that the miners would be smoked out and persecuted.”
Omar adds, “Now what is most concerning about this matter is the attitude of government to humans being trapped underground. The minister in the presidency had made this announcement allowing 4000 people trapped underneath a mine to be denied food and water and other necessities because she wanted to persecute them. She uttered these words in complete disregard of these people’s rights.”
More miners rescued
Another two suspected illegal miners have reportedly been brought to the surface from the abandoned old Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein on Saturday.
One of the miners speaking to the SABC says, “We are not trapped, but after some time we noticed that we are trapped because our movement was closed – because of this operation of this police. There’s a rumour underground that a lot of people died on other sides, so I don’t know how many.”
SAPS welcomes court order
Meanwhile, the police have welcomed the interim court order issued by the High Court. The police say it will continue its static deployment operations at all abandoned and disused mining shafts in the Stilfontein area, reiterating its call for illegal miners to resurface. The order does not, in any way, hinder SAPS from fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
“All those who resurface will continue to be assessed by emergency medical personnel on site, as has been the case. Those that are in a good health will be processed and detained. Those that require further medical care will be taken to hospital under police guard,” reads a statement from the SAPS.
Lizette Labuschagne
www.sabcnews.com
