Court orders illegal miners in Stilfontein be allowed to exit shaft
Earlier this week, community members in Stilfontein decided to enter the mine shaft and assist illegal miners to resurface.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has welcomed the interim court order issued by the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria regarding the illegal miners underground in Stilfontein, North West.
Initially, it was reported that over 4000 were underground; however, police said the number was far-fetched, and the estimated number of Zama zamas is around 400.
HIGH COURT ORDERS ILLEGAL MINERS “TRAPPED” STILFONTEIN BE ALLOWED TO EXIT MINE SHAFT
The matter brought to court by society for protection of our constitution was postponed to Tuesday, 19 November. In the interim, the High Court ordered that the mine shaft in Stilfontein, which forms part of the application, be unblocked and may not be blocked by any person or institution, whether government or private.
The court also ordered that any miners trapped in the mine shaft be permitted to exit and that no non-emergency personnel may enter the mine shaft.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said SAPS static deployment operations continue at all abandoned and disused mining shafts in the Stilfontein area, where a call is once again made to all illegal miners to resurface.
Mathe said the court order does not prevent SAPS from performing its constitutional mandate.
“All those who resurface will continue to be assessed by emergency medical personnel on site, as has been the case. Those that are in good health will be processed and detained. Those who require further medical care will be taken to the hospital under police guard.
“As of 16:00 on Saturday afternoon, three illegal miners have resurfaced,” she said.
Mathe also confirmed that earlier on Saturday, one South African national was arrested at a house used as a smelter in Kanana. He was found to be in possession of gold-bearing material. Equipment used in illegal mining operations was also seized in this intelligence-driven operation.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE COURT’S ORDERS REGARDING THE ILLEGAL MINERS IN STILFONTEIN?
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