Lily miners head to ConCourt
The former Lily Mine workers camped outside the now-defunct mine are taking their fight to the Constitutional Court.
BARBERTON – According to the group’s leader, Harry Mazibuko, the protesters have been camped there for more than 500 days.
The former mineworkers embarked on the protest after the 2016 tragedy in which three of their colleagues were entombed in the mine after a shaft collapsed. Subsequent to the incident, Lily Mine management and SSC Group CEO, Fred Arendse, have been in an out of court after mining operations ceased.
The protracted courtroom drama centred mainly around the disputes related to the business rescue plans instituted following SSC subsidiary, Flaming Silver, showing an interest in procuring the mine.
Several attempts were made after the shaft collapse to retrieve the container in which Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyirenda are believed to have been at the time. ALSO READ: SANBS experiences alarmingly low levels of blood stocks According to Mazibuko, the former employees have, over the years, suffered harassment from various quarters, but remain undeterred in their quest.
“We continue praying and hoping for the opening of the mine and for justice for the families. We will remain committed, resolute and more determined to make the next 500 days count as well,” he said.
Former City of Johannesburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, has joined the fray and visited the camp in January, vowing to provide assistance.
“These South Africans have been treated with the most profound lack of respect. Every sphere of government has failed to provide them clarity in terms of what is going on, or the support they need. As one of the miners said during our engagement, ‘We do not have a government in our country’,” said Mashaba.
He laid the blame for the delay in recovering the bodies and offering closure to the affected family’s squarely on the government’s doorstep. “It is apparent to me, that government officials in our country are connected to this disaster. When you consider how the legal processes have been conducted, it seems to be entirely with the interests of the mining company in mind.
“The community have been refused the opportunity to lay criminal charges against the mining company until last year because no case has ever been opened. I would bet anything that an analysis of the shareholding of this mining company would reveal connections to senior politicians in our country,” Mashaba continued.
Mazibuko firmly believes that the container in which their colleagues were trapped can be retrieved and is taking the fight to the Constitutional Court within the next two weeks. “We will be approaching the highest court in the land to give us answers. The container is retrievable. It is less than 60 metres underground. The trapped miners in Chile were 688 metres underground. The container is retrievable.”
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