Stilfontein: Police say no illegal miners remain underground, courts will determine who’s responsible for deaths

Authorities have claimed that no illegal miners remain underground at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein, North West.

The government-funded rescue mission, led by the Mine Rescue Services (MRS), concluded on Thursday after community volunteers confirmed no further signs of miners in the disused mine.

The site has three main entry and exit points: Margaret Shaft, Buffelsfontein Shaft 10, and Buffelsfontein Shaft 11.

Stilfontein rescue operation

The rescue effort began on Monday following a high court ruling that ordered government to extract illegal miners from the mine.

As of Thursday, 78 bodies had been retrieved, and 246 zama zamas were rescued.

Among the survivors were 128 Mozambicans, 80 Lesotho nationals, 33 Zimbabweans, and five South Africans.

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However, a total of 1 907 illegal miners have surfaced since the launch of Operation Vala Umgodi in August last year, according to the South African Police Service (Saps).

The operation has also recovered 87 bodies, only two of which have been identified.

Stilfontein mine to be monitored

Speaking to the media on Thursday, acting North West police commissioner Patrick Asaneng confirmed there were no illegal miners remaining at the site.

The MRS is expected to provide a detailed report to law enforcement and the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources.

“It is based on that report that government, the relevant ministers will also be addressing your good selves on what has transpired here,” Asaneng said.

READ MORE: ‘I don’t need to be pushed’: Mantashe on rescue mission of Stilfontein illegal miners

The acting commissioner indicated that the police will continue monitoring the mine as part of Operation Vala Umgodi, which was anticipated to conclude in May this year.

Asaneng highlighted the ease of access to the site as a concern, stating law enforcement’s priority was to address illegal mining.

“Those members who are deployed for Operation Vala Umgodi will continue to be on site, not only at shaft 11 but in all the areas where illegal mining is taking place. It is just unfortunate that this became our hotspot or focal area.”

Identification of deceased illegal miners

The acting commissioner confirmed that South African authorities are working with consulates from affected countries to identify the deceased miners.

“As we have pointed out, we would not have their database or their records as most of them entered South Africa illegally. Therefore, [the consulates] will assist us with verification and confirmation of their addresses.

“Also engaging with those who are still alive because they also will assist to see who of their compatriots who are underground have since perished so that then we can understand the situation better,” he explained.

ALSO READ: ‘Massacre’: Government accused of murdering Stilfontein illegal miners as more zama zamas rescued

When asked whether other shafts would be checked, Asaneng clarified that the government was complying with the court order.

“We must not then think that government is in a process of going around conducting rescue services or admission,” he said, adding that “we will stick to the area of the operation”.

National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe also clarified that accessing other shafts would be challenging due to their structure.

“[The MSR] would first need to study that particular shaft and based on [their] observation, it would be impossible to undertake that particular operation because the shafts are not the same,” Mathe explained.

Arrests and deportations

Moreover, Asaneng emphasised Stilfontein was a crime scene, and illegal miners who surface will be arrested and charged.

“As soon as they come to the surface, assisted or not, they are immediately placed under arrest, charged accordingly, appear before the court, and then we allow the court processes to take their logical conclusion,” he said.

The commissioner indicated that foreign miners would subsequently be handed over to the Department of Home Affairs for repatriation or deportation.

Asaneng could not confirm the duration of the process.

He further revealed a total of 121 illegal miners have already been deported, including 80 Mozambicans, 30 Basotho, 10 Zimbabweans, and one Malawian.

‘People have been dying’

When asked whether Operation Vala Umgodi could be considered successful despite the 87 deaths, Asaneng stated that any loss of life was regrettable.

“We cannot be seen to be judging the success of the operation based on the loss of lives.

“Whether anybody can be held accountable for the deaths, it’s for the court to determine that once the relevant evidence has been brought before the courts, so I don’t want even for one moment to misinterpret what the police are saying.

“We’re talking success in terms of addressing and combating illegal mining,” he explained.

“People have been dying, with illegal miners bringing bodies to the surface, often with notes attached indicating where they came from and who they were.”

READ MORE: Body retrieved as Stilfontein illegal miners claim more than 100 dead in new letter

The commissioner stressed that authorities are targeting the kingpins behind illegal mining, as the zama zamas were merely foot soldiers.

“We will continue to expand our operation to reach the kingpins and those financing these activities.

“Someone is funding this, and these are matters under investigation that we cannot disclose at this stage,” Asaneng said.

Regarding calls for a commission of inquiry into the miners’ deaths, he responded: “We are a constitutional state where everyone has the right to express their views, approach the courts, or take actions they believe are within their rights.

“The police operate under the same constitution to enforce the law, prevent, combat, and investigate crime.”

Allegations of more bodies

Mzukisi Jam, spokesperson for the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West, expressed skepticism about the reported figures.

“The number of dead bodies is actually not 78; it’s 78 from this shaft. They have not added 11 that were extracted by us using the rope,” Jam told reporters.

He also alleged that more deceased miners remain in Shaft 10.

“The general has said that it’s impossible or difficult for the cage to reach Shaft 10 to retrieve those dead bodies. So we can confidently say the number of dead bodies is more than 109.”

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