DailySun
Johannesburg – With new insights emerging about the distressing number of corpses discovered in abandoned shafts at Stilfontein, North West, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a comprehensive Inquiry into all elements of the occurrences at Buffelsfontein mine.
On Tuesday, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe announced: “On the second day of operations, 106 living illegal miners were rescued and arrested for illegal mining… 51 others have been confirmed dead.”
RELATED: Stilfontein Mine Rescue: 51 Bodies Brought To Surface, 106 Zama Zamas Rescued – The Bulrushes
On the day before, nine bodies were recovered and 26 illegal miners were saved.
In light of the tragic loss of life, DA MP James Lorimer, the party’s spokesperson on mineral and petroleum resources, stated: “The DA insists that President Cyril Ramaphosa establish an independent Commission of Inquiry into all facets of what transpired at Buffelsfontein mine, ensuring that those negligent in their duties are held accountable and that similar incidents are averted in the future.”
Lorimer additionally commented: “With 60 bodies recovered from the Buffelsfontein mine to date, it is clear that the severity of the disaster echoes the concerns expressed by many individuals.
“This raises the critical question of why the situation was permitted to escalate to such alarming levels.”
Lorimer voiced concerns regarding the police’s inability to determine the actual conditions underground, or, even more concerning, their possible awareness of the situation which was neither reported nor addressed.
“It must be questioned whether the police feel constrained by the rule of law or if they are inclined to resort to retribution and punishment as acceptable strategies in combating illegal mining,” Lorimer stated.
“Illegal miners and their affiliated networks have negatively impacted South Africa’s economy and created hardships for tens of thousands of our citizens; however, many low-level illegal miners are simply striving to make ends meet, engaging in activities that are not categorized as crimes under current legislation.
“Responsibility may lie with both the SAPS and the Department of Mineral and Energy Resources, which makes them inappropriate to investigate this incident.”
Lorimer reaffirmed the DA’s request for President Ramaphosa to launch an inquiry while events are still recent and before illegal miners and other potential witnesses are dispersed.
“A decade ago, in the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, I began advocating for stronger measures against illegal mining,” Lorimer recalled.
“Despite many discussions, no substantial actions have occurred until the recent security operations focused on illegal mining.
“Two glaring examples of governmental inaction are apparent.”
Lorimer highlighted that, unfortunately, the government has yet to classify illegal mining as a criminal offense, and that standard police officers lack both the investigative capacity or specialized resources, not to mention the necessary firepower, to effectively combat illegal mining, one of the crucial reasons for its current widespread prevalence.
“The DA intends to comprehensively address both of these issues in the coming weeks,” Lorimer concluded.
Meanwhile, rescue operations in Stilfontein resumed on Wednesday morning.
