Stilfontein miners matter should be resolved soon – Lawyers for Human Rights
Police and community members in North West have been attempting to rescue illegal miners trapped in Stillfontein since November last year.
Fourteen illegal miners resurfaced from shaft 10 in Stilfontein. Picture: EWN/Katlego Jiyane
Bongani Bingwa speaks with Jessica Lawrence, Senior Attorney and Programme Manager of the environmental rights programme at Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR).
Listen below.
Between 500 and 1000 illegal miners are still trapped underground in Stillfontein.
Bringing the remaining miners to the surface will cost an estimated R12 million.
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The case of these miners has been before the court since November last year as those underground have been blocked from returning to the surface by police operations.
“The police had blocked off key entrances, resulting in it being physically impossible for the miners to escape.”
– Jessica Lawrence, Senior attorney - Lawyers for Human Rights
Lawrence says that there should be a resolution to this case shortly.
The private company Mine Rescue Services is on-site and has begun the rescue process.
“We hope that miners will start to be retrieved today and into the week.”
– Jessica Lawrence, Senior attorney - Lawyers for Human Rights
She argues that, while police must fight crime, it cannot be done in a way that compromises fundamental human rights.
“We cannot become a society where we allow police officers to facilitate the death or the starvation and dehydration of people, regardless of whatever activities they are doing underground.”
– Jessica Lawrence, Senior attorney - Lawyers for Human Rights
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.