South Africa: Stilfontein Mine Rescue Stalls at Final Stage

Ground UP
Community members from the township of Khuma protest in the hope that their relatives will be rescued from the mineshaft in Stilfontein. About a thousand Zama Zamas (illegal miners) have already been brought to the surface in North West Province, South Africa.
26 November 2024
allAfrica.com

In Stilfontein, hundreds of illegal miners are yet to come to the surface, more than a week after a rescue team was dispatched to the area, reports EWN.

The team, led by the local government, recently took over an ongoing operation to stage a fresh rescue mission to bring illegal miners to the surface faster. The new plan includes constructing an unmanned cage to carry the zama zamas up the shaft.

Wessels Morweng, MEC for Community Safety in North West, says he has not yet seen the mining experts' safety assessment report. Morweng believes the team cannot afford to make any mistakes.

"The next stage is very delicate. We need to conduct it with the delicacy it deserves so that we save lives , instead of losing more lives."

More than 1,200 illegal miners have resurfaced from the area between now and October.

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