The rescue operation led by community volunteers in Khuma near Stilfontein to retrieve illegal miners at Shaft 11 in one of the disused mines in the area, will resume on Monday. This as the operation has been suspended for today.
So far, 12 illegal miners have been retrieved and brought to the surface by community volunteers.
Four illegal miners were retrieved by community volunteers yesterday.
The operation started on Wednesday, and five illegal miners were retrieved on the day.
Stilfontein Mine | Miner details horrific ordeal during Saturday’s retrieval:
Meanwhile, some locals at Stilfontein say a false narrative of illegal mining taking place in the area is being spread.
Molebogeng Matebesi, a compliance officer at the Greater Stilfontein Socio-Economic Empowerment Foundation, elaborates: “Let me just correct the deceived story. The foundation was formed in 2021- where we are here at, it’s our jurisdiction, it’s in there in the map. The Department of Mineral Resources at the regional level, led by comrade Phomotso, he gave us an advice – how do we get involved? So, we went to them that we’ve got a transformative agenda, we’re tired of being called illegal miners and illegal what what- we applied for Section 104. Section 104- in the mineral petroleum resource development act speaks of community rights. We’ve got everything, with due diligence since 2021.”
Reporting Thabiso Moss
SABC
www.sabcnews.com
