‘There could be survivors in abandoned Virginia mine’- Mantashe

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said there might be survivors trapped beneath the surface of an abandoned gold mine shaft in Welkom where illegal miners have been killed.

Mantashe visited the Virginia Mine in the Free State on Monday following the deaths of at least 31 suspected illegal miners, believed to be Basotho nationals, inside a methane-filled ventilation shaft.

So far, three bodies have been retrieved from the mine.

Survivors

Mantashe said there may still be survivors underground.

“Our suspicion is that there may be people who are still there. And if there are people still there and methane explodes further, there may be additional deaths.

“So, we are not giving you a scientific number. We have not gone underground, we hope to ultimately get there. But at this point in time, all we are saying is that movements that are being shown by the movement of methane reflect that there may be some movement underground because that shaft is not an easy shaft where you walk in and out,” Mantashe said.

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Criminal activity

Mantashe said the problem of illegal mining is a national challenge as illegal miners take advantage of disused mines.

“Illegal mining is not an activity; it’s a criminal activity. If you are involved in illegal mining, your minister is a minister called Bheki Cele, it’s not me. If you are involved in illegal mining, you are a criminal, and the minister of police is your minister.”

Economic sabotage

On Friday, Mantashe accused the Lesotho government of “economic sabotage” following the deaths of the 31 suspected illegal miners.

Mantashe said the Lesotho government was effectively condoning illegal mining in South Africa by its citizens by turning a blind eye to the problem.

“This incident, more than any other incident, has confirmed our view that this thing of illegal miners is actually economic sabotage [and] war on our economy, and therefore those who died there are almost like soldiers dying in combat…

“I think it’s a dangerous issue for neighbours to do that to one another,” Mantashe told Newzroom Afrika in an interview.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe

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