DailySun
Stilfontein – Clement Moeletsi, a local resident and community member who found himself trapped underground in abandoned shafts at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein before his rescue and subsequent arrest, asserts that illegal miners were facing starvation.
In an affidavit submitted as part of the Mining Affected Communities United In Action (MACUA) appeal to the Constitutional Court, Moeletsi states: “It was not an illness that caused their deaths. It was starvation.”
Moeletsi was arrested on December 9, 2024, and later released on R500 bail by the Stilfontein Magistrate’s court on Tuesday, December 31, 2024.
In his affidavit, Moeletsi details the traumatic experiences he faced underground, alongside the particulars of his rescue and arrest.
“I was unable to provide a more comprehensive account because my legal representatives were denied access to me while I was detained at Hartbeespoort Police Station from December 9, 2024, until my release on December 31, 2024,” Moeletsi explained.
He emphasized that this lack of access significantly hampered his ability to communicate and convey essential information during that time.
“Now that I have regained my freedom, I can present a clear and detailed narrative of the events and conditions I encountered, which I believe will greatly aid the Court in grasping the urgency and gravity of the situation,” Moeletsi stated.
“I accessed Shaft 10 by utilizing a rope system.
“This system, operated manually by artisanal miners, demanded team coordination and considerable physical effort to lower individuals into the shaft.
“Upon reaching level 6 of Shaft 10, I remained there for about a month before feeling the effects of Operation Vala Umgodi.”
Moeletsi recounted the daily obstacles faced underground during this period.
“The atmosphere was oppressive and entirely lacking in natural light, filled with thick, stagnant air,” Moeletsi shared.
“Prior to the onset of Operation Vala Umgodi, we relied on assistance from other artisanal miners and community members above ground to furnish food, medications, and other critical supplies.
“Families would send these items, which were then distributed by miners working on the surface to those trapped below.
“Although this system was informal, it was vital for survival underground. However, in August 2024, all supplies of food and essential items were abruptly halted for Shaft 10.”
Moeletsi further stated, “This sudden cessation of supplies took us completely by surprise, and we received no warning or explanation about why the delivery of food, water, medication, and other basic provisions had stopped.”
By September 2024, he noted that the desperation for food reached alarming levels.
“People resorted to consuming cockroaches and combining toothpaste with salt to create makeshift meals, extreme measures taken out of sheer necessity,” Moeletsi recounted.
“The absence of food and safe drinking water left us with no feasible means of nourishment.
“Between September and October 2024, the lack of even fundamental sustenance was absolute, transforming survival into a daily battle against starvation.
“Personally, I went without food or drinkable water for nearly six weeks.
“Extended starvation left me physically and mentally exhausted, pushing my body to its limits.
“To survive, I had no choice but to drink underground water, which had an overwhelming chemical flavor.
“While it kept me alive, it brought severe consequences: I experienced intense headaches, stomach pain, and what I suspect were symptoms of stomach ulcers due to the contamination in the water.”
Moeletsi asserted that Operation Vala Umgodi, executed abruptly by the South African Police Service, eradicated any chance of obtaining aid or rescue.
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In his affidavit, Moeletsi articulated the devastating consequences of this situation.
“Starvation set in rapidly, and I watched those around me wither away each day,” he remarked.
“Their bodies deteriorated, and their conditions declined swiftly.
“Many fell prey to unrelenting hunger, their gaunt figures haunting reminders of the horrors we endured.
“From my observations, it was not illness that claimed lives underground, but starvation.”
Moeletsi recalled that the air was thick with disease.
He noted that cuts and sores festered, remaining untreated.
“Coughing echoed through the tunnels as people grew too weak to combat infections,” he said.
“Skin cracked and split, leaving them vulnerable to infections they could no longer fend off.
“Some, like me, resorted to drinking the contaminated underground water for survival, but it brought its own suffering, causing excruciating stomach pain and debilitating headaches.
“This is what I witnessed underground: people languishing, their bodies betraying them in a slow, agonizing defeat.”
In a statement released on Saturday, January 4, 2024, MACUA indicated that Moeletsi’s affidavit was part of the documents submitted to strengthen its application at the Constitutional Court, aiming to highlight the escalating urgency of the situation.
