Illegal miners occupying abandoned Stilfontein mine make more demands

STILFONTEIN - Illegal miners occupying an abandoned shaft in Stilfontein have made more demands as an operation to retrieve them from underground enters another week.  

It’s been almost a month since Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu established a task team to drive a complex and costly operation that would see mine rescue experts bring illegal miners back to the surface.  

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The protracted mission is part of government’s Operation Vala Umgodi, aimed at clamping down on illegal mining in North West and six other provinces.  

So far, just in North West, more than 1,400 illegal miners have resurfaced and been arrested since October.  

An interim court order previously gave NGOs the go-ahead to provide humanitarian aid to the illegal miners at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.  

This includes essential items such as food, water, and some critical medical supplies.  

But this has not stopped the zama zamas from demanding non-essential goods.  

On Friday, they asked for a candle, snuff, and sorghum beer to perform a ritual to cleanse the shaft, where fewer than a dozen illegal miners have died since August.  

When two illegal miners resurfaced on Monday, a note with new demands was also brought up.  

The zama zamas now want tomato sauce, mayonnaise, antiperspirant, bath soap, and detergent.  

The court order does not allow for the provision of these items.  

Police previously warned that aid sent down the shaft would defeat the operation aimed at shutting down the illegal mining network.