Mchunu says poverty makes it harder for police to combat illegal mining, as community raises concerns (VIDEOS)

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has reviewed progress on tackling illegal mining in Stilfontein, highlighting Operation Vala Umgodi’s efforts while also addressing its challenges and the humanitarian concerns raised by communities.

Mchunu and Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo were in the Stilfontein area on Friday afternoon to obtain a progress report on measures that will lead to the resurfacing of the illegal miners in the area.

More than 50 miners, including teenagers, have resurfaced from the shafts since Sunday.

Underage illegal miners?

The North West Department of Social Development announced on Wednesday that it received information that authorities had arrested and detained approximately 101 undocumented children.

Boshielo confirmed that authorities verified the ages of the suspected illegal miners believed to be minors and confirmed that only 14 of them were underage.

The minister began his briefing by outlining the “basic facts” of the problem of illegal mining and what led to the establishment of Operation Vala Umgodi in December 2023.

ALSO READ: At least 95 undocumented children among illegal miners arrested at Stilfontein

Mchunu highlighted various criminal activities linked to illegal mining, including:

• Stockpiling food, alcohol, generators, petrol, fireworks, explosives, and grinders.
• Perpetrators committing stock theft.
• Illicitly distributing and accumulating illegal firearms.
• Damaging essential infrastructure.

“The government’s duty, in terms of the constitutions, is to protect citizens. Protect citizens of the country whether they are poor, whether they are rich, whether they are in mining areas or non-mining areas, whether they are green in colour or blue,” he said.

‘Government’s duty is to protect citizens’

“The government’s mandate is to do anything meaningful in their means to protect citizens in the country.”

The minister added Operation Vala Umgodi could’ve been “richer” if it ran simultaneously with a programme to eradicate poverty and unemployment in affected communities. He said these are the root causes of illegal mining.

“Because of those errors, we now find ourselves having a problem,” he said.

ALSO READ: Man appears in court for allegedly dealing in gold worth billions

Mchunu also gave an update on Operation Vala Umgodi in the Stilfontein area since December 2023. According to him, more than 2 900 suspected illegal miners have emerged from various mines since then, and since August, 1 313 have come up to the surface.

The minister directly addressed the public’s demands to send food and other essential supplies to the miners still trapped underground.

“What for?” he said in response. “Is it to come out or is it to stay? Will we be lawful or unlawful? Will that promote lawfulness or unlawfulness?”

Watch the minister progress report here:

Stilfontein community engagement

The ministry also engaged the South African Human Rights Commission, the South African Federation of Trade Unions, and the affected families. 

Mametlwe Sebei from Lawyers for Human Rights directly accused Mchunu of promoting false narratives, suggesting that illegal miners could impossibly “jump four kilometres from under the belly of the earth” without any assistance.

“Everyone who has made that journey tells you that they had to crawl for seven days in treacherous tunnels that are flooded, and that journey can only be taken by those that are strong enough,” Sebei said.

ALSO READ: Extortionist demands cut from rescuers at Stilfontein mine

Johannes Qankase, a community member, accused the police of coaching suspected illegal miners, who had surfaced, on what to tell the media.

“We are not defending anyone here, but we are fighting for those souls that are underneath and trapped,” he said.

“People are dying on a daily basis under your watch, Mr Mchunu. We respect the police; we respect their work. Criminals belong in jail, but please, let’s save those lives.”

Protecting human rights

Community leader Thembile Botman supported the minister’s statement that Operation Vala Umgodi neglected to address the root causes of illegal mining in these communities. Botman further pointed out that the operation also overlooked the protection of human rights.

“As you were planning or implementing, you failed to see how we would deal with the issue of human rights, of protecting the constitution of South Africa, of a right to human dignity and life. The plan did not have that. Hence, we are stuck here,” he said.