“They should then be the ones who provide food, medication and all of those basic necessities because ... it's Christmas now and people have other financial commitments as well, so since the state has been dilly-dallying and are not forthcoming about how far the operation is, they should then be the ones that have that responsibility to preserve those lives,” he said.
Mndebele clarified that the organisation's latest application was an expedited matter that was due to be heard in 2025.
Adding to this was Mzwandile Nkwai, who is one of the rescuers from the nearby Khuma township taking part in the community-led operation.
He confirmed that operations had resumed on Thursday morning and would continue until Christmas Eve.
“On Wednesday we retrieved two people and sent down some supplies but we're running low at this stage.
“We're planning to only stop working on Christmas and New Year but we're short on funds so even working on the other days will be a struggle. We can't afford transport to come here and there's no food being supplied to those pulling the rope; people are tired.”
He praised Macua and benefactors who had contributed to the effort but appealed to the government to do more.
On November 15 police minister Senzo Mchunu announced the establishment of a task team — led by Morweng and including mining experts — to conduct a rescue operation. To date the rescue effort is yet to get under way amid various challenges faced by the task team.
More than a thousand miners have resurfaced from Stilfontein since the police's Operation Vala Umgodi started. Several have been helped by local community members using a rope.
TimesLIVE
Macua turns to high court as funds, resources dry up in Stilfontein
Reporter
Image: Reuters/Ihsaan Haffejee
As funds run dry and exhausted rescuers race to retrieve as many suspected illegal miners before Christmas, organisations and residents want the state to carry the costs for the provision of supplies and rescue operation.
Mining affected communities united in action (Macua) has again filed an urgent application in the Pretoria high court, set to be heard on Friday.
In it, the organisation wants the court to compel the state to “provide humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medication, within two hours of the court order”.
They also want to be provided with a weekly progress report every Friday on the implementation of the rescue plan, and for Lawyers for Human Rights to be allowed access to any miner arrested or detained after their resurfacing from shafts 10 and 11 at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine.
North West community safety MEC Wessels Morweng as well as the ministers of police, mineral resources and social development were cited as respondents.
Macua spokesperson Magnificent Mndebele elaborated on this.
“It's different because this time we're asking that the state must be able to carry the cost of saving those lives because there were donations which amounted to [about] R76,000 but that has run out and really it's the state that is deliberately delaying that rescue operation.
Six more illegal miners arrested in Stilfontein after resurfacing
“They should then be the ones who provide food, medication and all of those basic necessities because ... it's Christmas now and people have other financial commitments as well, so since the state has been dilly-dallying and are not forthcoming about how far the operation is, they should then be the ones that have that responsibility to preserve those lives,” he said.
Mndebele clarified that the organisation's latest application was an expedited matter that was due to be heard in 2025.
Adding to this was Mzwandile Nkwai, who is one of the rescuers from the nearby Khuma township taking part in the community-led operation.
He confirmed that operations had resumed on Thursday morning and would continue until Christmas Eve.
“On Wednesday we retrieved two people and sent down some supplies but we're running low at this stage.
“We're planning to only stop working on Christmas and New Year but we're short on funds so even working on the other days will be a struggle. We can't afford transport to come here and there's no food being supplied to those pulling the rope; people are tired.”
He praised Macua and benefactors who had contributed to the effort but appealed to the government to do more.
On November 15 police minister Senzo Mchunu announced the establishment of a task team — led by Morweng and including mining experts — to conduct a rescue operation. To date the rescue effort is yet to get under way amid various challenges faced by the task team.
More than a thousand miners have resurfaced from Stilfontein since the police's Operation Vala Umgodi started. Several have been helped by local community members using a rope.
TimesLIVE
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