Mchunu refutes claims that the operation to retrieve illegal miners in Stilfontein was placed on back burner
The criticism by community leaders in Stilfontein and human rights activists follows a protracted operation at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine to clamp down on illegal mining.
Police process illegal miners at a abandoned mine in Stilfontein after they resurfaced on 30 November 2024. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has refuted claims that the operation to retrieve illegal miners in Stilfontein was placed on the back burner, putting hundreds of lives at risk.
The criticism by community leaders in Stilfontein and human rights activists follows a protracted operation at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine to clamp down on illegal mining.
It's taken two months to get to the third and final phase of the operation where a cage is sent down the shaft to bring zama zamas up to the surface.
READ: Mining experts leading the Stilfontein rescue operation raise red flags
Government has also been accused by some NGOs of violating human rights by cutting off food and water supplies to the illegal miners.
Mchunu addressed the claims again when he visited the site on Tuesday where he was joined by Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.
"There’ve been various statements from locally here to say that since the last time we were here, we as government had gone away to sit somewhere. That is not true."
Disgruntled community leaders turned on Mchunu and Mantashe when they tried to address the group gathered near the shaft.