Stilfontain illegal miners retrieval: Next step includes sending a camera down the shaft
Plans are currently under way to force hundreds of zama zamas back to the surface and shut down an illegal operation that’s been running for years at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine in the North West.
Stilfontein gold mine shaft in the North West. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Part two of the plans to retrieve hundreds of illegal miners from an abandoned mine in Stilfontein is yet to resume as rescue teams discuss their next move.
Plans are currently under way to force hundreds of zama zamas back to the surface and shut down an illegal operation that’s been running for years at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine in the North West.
The rubble near the shaft was cleared on Wednesday.
As part of the plan announced by the local government, the next step includes sending a camera down the shaft to inspect the area when machines will be deployed for extraction.
READ: Stilfontein community leaders raise safety concerns about plan to extract illegal miners
WRAP: Government’s multimillion rand plan to extract illegal miners from an abandoned mine in Stlifontein is still in the early stages. The technical team spent most of the day clearing the area. Next is the tough job of removing zama zamas refusing to resurface.@khanya_mntambo pic.twitter.com/uKTp8RWpST
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 20, 2024
Khuma community leader Johannes Qankase said he doesn’t believe the illegal miners know of the plan to be carried out.
“I’m not sure that they are aware, because there was nothing that was written about the camera. You must understand that you will not tell people underground that there’s but the camera is part and parcel of the process by government. And that cam is not going to go to them, it’s just going to assist the whole area around the hole so they can understand when they put the crane, how that crane is going work and the distance of where those people are situated.”