Families of Lily Mine victims still hopeful their bodies will be recovered
Pretty Nkambule, Solomon Nyirenda and Yvonne Mnisi tragically died in 2016 when a section of the mine caved in, swallowing the container office they were working from.
FILE: ActionSA Commemorates 8th Year Commemoration of Lily Mine Tragedy. Picture: ActionSA/X
CAPE TOWN - The families of the three Lily Mine workers whose remains are still trapped underground are hopeful that the bodies of their loved ones will be recovered in the future.
Pretty Nkambule, Solomon Nyirenda and Yvonne Mnisi tragically died in 2016 when a section of the mine caved in, swallowing the container office they were working from.
Family members and former Lily Mine workers held a prayer service on Sunday, to mark 2000 days of camping outside the mine's premises.
Spokesperson and former Lily Mine employee, Harry Mazibuko: "What we know is that in 2017, the DMRE conducted an inquiry as per section 72 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, whereby the outcomes were that the mine collapsed due to negligence by the mine management."
Mazibuko added that despite the court ruling on the matter, there'd been no progress in terms of getting justice.
"So what is most confusing is that the now sitting minister, Mr Gwede Mantashe, declared even on national television that before the end of July 2024, the issue of Lily MIne will be the thing of the past. What we don't know is how far he is."