DailySun
Johannesburg – A coalition comprising at least 27 civil society and faith-based organizations has announced their decision to abstain from celebrating the festive season until the miners trapped underground in the derelict mines of Stilfontein are rescued.
In a joint statement released on Christmas Day, the organizations stated: “We call upon everyone to stand in solidarity with Stilfontein, as human lives are being lost in excruciating ways, underground, due to starvation, lack of medical care, and deadly incidents within treacherous tunnels.”
The statement further detailed: “During this festive season, we implore religious leaders and organizations to show spiritual solidarity with the miners who continue to be trapped beneath the surface in Stilfontein.
The occasions of Christmas and Hanukkah are moments for introspection, compassion, and humanity.
“We cannot celebrate while these miners remain in darkness, suffering from hunger and separated from their families,” the statement continued.
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The statement also revealed: “Their plight highlights the serious failures of our society – the mining industry, the government, and the legal framework failing to preserve fundamental human dignity and rights. Follow this link to contribute to their cause and assist in saving lives.
“This tragic predicament echoes the horrors of Marikana, where greed and indifference toward life led to one of South Africa’s most somber chapters.
“We vowed to say ‘never again’ yet here we find ourselves, witnessing the same reckless neglect towards the most vulnerable among us.”
This season calls for unity and compassion, yet the miners are left neglected, dehumanized by the careless actions of mining companies, the government, and the Operation Vala Umgodi initiative, the organizations stated.
“While capitalism, inequality, racism, and xenophobia provide context for the Stilfontein crisis, our immediate focus must be on the urgent rescue of the miners,” the statement stressed.
“Every moment dedicated to debates about accountability should not overshadow the pressing need to save lives.
“The recent court ruling denying state support for humanitarian aid and rescue efforts illustrates a moral failure, favoring bureaucracy over the lives of the vulnerable.”
“How can we celebrate while others suffer, overlooked by those who have the means to help?
“We must reflect: What kind of society are we nurturing if we allow this to happen?
“How can we exchange gifts while others endure unimaginable pain?”
The civil society and faith-based organizations urged immediate actions as follows:
- Immediate rescue operations by the state and mining companies to save the miners trapped underground.
- Food, water, and essential provisions must be quickly provided to sustain the miners until rescue.
- Faith leaders and organizations should show solidarity at the rescue site.
- The citizens of South Africa and the global community must demand justice and accountability.
“If those in power continue to falter, it falls upon communities united in solidarity to pursue justice and cultivate a society founded on care and compassion,” the statement concluded.
“We must reject a system that values profit over people and strive to create one where every life is cherished.
“Stilfontein stands as a painful reminder that the lessons from Marikana have gone unheeded.
The Marikana massacre took place on 16 August 2012, when police fired upon striking mineworkers.
At least 34 mineworkers were killed by police in Marikana, located in the North West. Up to 78 additional mineworkers were severely injured during the incident.
“We must commemorate the memory of Marikana by ensuring that such tragedies never occur again,” the statement asserted.
“The plight of the miners compels us to forge a society where life is sacred, human rights are protected, and greed does not overshadow our humanity.”
The statement emphasized that the situations in Stilfontein expose systemic shortcomings in mine decommissioning and in the support for affected communities, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
For multiple weeks, police have been positioned at the shafts’ exits, prepared to arrest the illegal miners as they emerge.
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“The lack of state oversight is being scapegoated through xenophobic narratives, perpetuating injustice and reminiscent of Apartheid-era collective punishment,” the civil society and faith-based organizations articulated in their comprehensive statement.
“Utilizing starvation as a method of coercion, condemned by international law, is presently mirrored in the actions of South African authorities.
“This contradiction undermines South Africa’s ethical standing and highlights the urgent need to tackle the crisis in Stilfontein.
“As long as the miners remain underground, the festive season will feel empty – stripped of the humanity and compassion it ought to represent.
“Let us come together in support of the miners of Stilfontein during this crucial time.
“Their lives hang in the balance.”
