Lentswe, Stilfontein - Thousands of illegal mines are still stuck underground, apparently too weak from hunger to resurface. A large contingent of police officers gathered near Khuma where some residents expressed their concern about the welfare of the men trapped underground.
Some of these residents are willing to go to the zama-zamas. Reporters from Newzroom Afrika spoke to Phatela Phoko on Tuesday November 12 who went underground in the disused Stilfontein mine. He claims he spotted bodies of six miners down there, and that many surviving illegal miners are in bad health.
He said they are not strong enough to resurface. They are dying down there. He added that the community is prepared to rescue them. Some of the residents allege they have family members trapped underground.
Brig Sabatha Mokgwabone, police spokesperson, confirmed that people’s lives are at risk and said there is concern about their health.
“It is too risky for police officers to retrieve people from underground. The mine said it is too dangerous to go underground.’’
He said that food and water were sent to the miners for them to get more energy to resurface.
Police officers were on standby to help them. When all the supply routes of food and water were blocked, there was enough time to resurface and more than 1 000 were forced from underground due to rehydration.
“We don’t know the situation underground. We are concerned about the people’s welfare,’’ Mokgwabone told the reporter.
