Under the slogan "Black lives matter," community members living around disused mines in Stilfontein, North West, gathered to demand that the police allow them to gain access underground where the illegal miners are, so they can give them essentials. The community said their biggest fear is hearing that hundreds of people have died of dehydration and starvation while underground just because they feared arrests from police.

OPERATION VALA UMGODI

In the past two weeks, over a thousand illegal miners have resurfaced with symptoms of dehydration and starvation after the SANDF and SAPS blocked all food and water supply routes. Locals said they have no problem with the operation but are against the blocking of essentials. Last Tuesday, 55 suspected illegal immigrants who were among hundreds that resurfaced made their first court appearance on charges of possession of gold-bearing material, contravention of the Immigration Act and illegal mining, among others. However, charges against them were withdrawn. "They were, nevertheless, detained by immigration officials in terms of Section 34 of the Immigration Act, 2002, pending deportation order," said police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone. Mokgwabone previously dismissed claims that miners were trapped underground, emphasising that they were instead forced to resurface to access food and water after authorities blocked routes that were being used to deliver supplies to them underground.

COMMUNITIES WANT ZAMA ZAMAS SAVED 

A distraught mother, Nozililo Santho, whose son is still underground, said he left home saying he was going to try his luck with illegal mining because of unemployment. "I'm pained today because I'm running around like a headless chicken looking for him everywhere I can think of. We just need to know whether our children are dead or alive. If he's dead, can I just be given his remains? Whatever I'll get, I'll accept. That's all I ask for as a parent," Santho said. A community leader said they had a meeting with senior police officials and agreed that community members would play a role in helping those still trapped underground to resurface. "We've been here since 6am, but there's been no engagement from the police. We agreed that from 6am to 5pm we'll be working on resurfacing those that are still stuck; all we want is to save lives at this point," the leader said.