https://www.miningweekly.com
Africa|Gold|Industrial|Mining|Underground|Water
Africa|Gold|Industrial|Mining|Underground|Water
africa|gold|industrial|mining|underground|water

Families gather at South African mine shaft where hundreds are feared underground

Police gathered at an illegal mining operation in Stillfontein

Photo by Reuters

15th November 2024

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

Desperate family members of illegal miners believed to number in the hundreds waited outside a disused mine shaft in South Africa on Friday in the hope of their loved ones emerging from the hole in the ground.

The miners are in a standoff with police, who have blocked their supplies of food and water and are trying to force them out to arrest them for illegally entering the abandoned mine in search of leftover gold - a common problem in South Africa.

More than 1,000 illegal miners have already resurfaced in recent weeks as the police have cracked down, and at least one dead body has been brought up.

It was unclear if those remaining in the mine in Stilfontein, North West province, were unwilling or unable to get out of the shaft, which descends vertically for more than 2 km (1.2 miles) underground.

Police and community members stood around the rocky entrance, where a pulley had been set up to hoist men out.

"I'm here waiting for young people who are underground, who are dying," Zimbabwean national Roselina Nyuzeya told Reuters from behind the police barricade blocking access to the gaping hole.

A woman crying nearby was waiting for her husband, who had been underground since April, Nyuzeya said.

Illegal mining has plagued South Africa for decades through small-time pilfering and organised criminal networks. Many of those who do the risky work of breaking into old industrial mines are immigrants from neighbouring countries.

They are referred to as zama-zamas - a local term that comes from the Zulu expression for "taking a chance".

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Wednesday the government would not send help for criminals but instead would "smoke them out".

Some community members held signs that read "Smoke ANC out" in response, referring to the governing African National Congress party.

"We are asking for help from the government to assist us so our children can come out of the mine. All we are asking for is their remains to come out," said Matsidiso Ramolla, a 41-one-year-old resident of Stilfontein.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

Latest News

Speewah fluorite gains major project status
Speewah fluorite gains major project status
Updated 1 hour 18 minutes ago By: Mariaan Webb

Showroom

Weir
Weir

Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Victaulic
Victaulic

Since 1919, Victaulic’s innovative solutions and design services continue to increase construction productivity and reduce risk, ensuring projects...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 06 December 2024
Magazine round up | 06 December 2024
6th December 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.124 0.155s - 127pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now