“Furthermore, the police refused certain essential food items, including maize meal, canned fish and soup, to be lowered down at all without any explanation. In addition to restricting certain food items, [they] also refused to permit the delivery of paracetamol and batteries for the miners’ headlamps,” it said.
“As Macua, we will not allow the law enforcement to break the law wilfully. They are supposed to enforce the law, especially the interim court order granted in our favour, not to violate the constitutional right and right to life of the trapped miners.
“It is unacceptable that the police can be allowed to use starvation and depriving of food and other necessities as tools to bring about law enforcement.”
The organisation also shared five handwritten notes from the zama zamas detailing their desperate plea for food and help for the sick and dying. In a few, the miners ask for body bags to “cover the people who have died”. One letter puts this figure at four, while another says six. It is not clear if these are separate numbers.
This is a developing story.
TimesLIVE
https://www.timeslive.co.za/authors/khanyisile-ngcobo/
www.timeslive.co.za
