Zama Zama update: Mine Rescue members attacked
It was impossible to determine beforehand whether any of the miners remained inside.
Nine illegal mining shafts were closed four days after a massive illegal mining operation that the Roodepoort Police, Metro Police and Mounted Unit conducted on 26 August.
Days later the illegal miners (Zama Zamas) reopened one shaft close to Gustav Street though. Last night (11 September) there was a rock fall in the reopened shaft and it is uncertain whether any miners were injured or trapped.
During the operation on 30 August the police left notices at the openings of the shafts, warning the illegal miners that the shafts would be closed and that they should evacuate it. According to the police it was impossible to determine beforehand whether any of the miners remained inside regardless of the warning because of the length and depth of the shafts. The police also attempted to clear a large area around the openings to prevent the Zama Zamas from finding the entrances to the shafts again.
Meanwhile members of the Mines Rescue Services (MRS), a private organisation, were attacked on 4 September when they attempted to rescue an illegal Zimbabwean miner who fell in a shaft in Creswell Park between Randfontein and Hamberg Roads. He had broken a leg. A fellow miner, also Zimbabwean alerted authorities of the incident and MRS sent a crew down, only to be attacked by a rival Sotho faction of Zama Zamas. The Sothos allegedly told the Zimbabweans they “do not want white people down there”. Then, for their own safety, the MRS crew refused to return and sent a contingent of illegal miners with a stretcher and two-way radios back down to rescue their colleague. They found him dead with his head bashed in, allegedly with a hammer. It is alleged the Sotho faction had killed him. His fellow miners managed to bring his body to the surface.
Currently MRS had to abandon a rescue mission at a Langlaagte mine shaft temporarily due to poisonous gases and smoke. In addition to rescuing some of the miners they are attempting to recover about seven more bodies believed to be 1,5km down the shaft.
Read more on Illegal mining here:
Minister shocked by illegal mining
Police make a dent in illegal mining problem
