Determined to retrieve remains
BARBERTON - Today marks 431 days since former Lily Mine employees embarked on a sit-in outside the mine, following a shaft collapse on February 5, 2016.
The mine made national headlines after Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyirenda were trapped underground in a container office as a result of the collapse.
A rescue effort was mounted and abandoned after it was determined that continuing the search would endanger the lives of rescue workers.
Since then Lily Mine has become the centre of controversy in a legal tug of war over the sale of the mine. Former City of Johannesburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, joined the fray.
According to Harry Mazibuko, who represents the former miners camped outside Lily Mine, Mashaba’s involvement came about after they reached out to him on Facebook.
“We contacted Mashaba on Facebook because he was engaging citizens about issues they are facing. Ours is a well-known struggle and he agreed to meet with us on January 15, promising that we would engage other stakeholders in Johannesburg two weeks later,” said Mazibuko.
Mashaba subsequently filed an application to force government and other stakeholders to investigate the matter.
Last week, a decision was taken by the former miners and the families of Nkambule, Mnisi and Nyirenda to resume rescue efforts to bring the remains to the surface.
“Honestly, we are left with no option because we are waiting too long. The mining company is responsible because they violated mine safety. We are law-abiding citizens who seek to do thing the legal way. What about our three colleagues? Their lives matter too,” Mazibuko continued.
He added that the group were prevented from entering the mine last week Friday, saying that there were a number of South African businessman willing to provide the necessary funds to provide the equipment and machinery to continue rescue efforts.
“They are businesses and as such, have to follow legal protocols before entering the mine. Our belief is that mine management does not want to continue the search for our colleagues because the NPA will be able to prosecute once their bodies are brought to the surface.”
Mazibuko lauded Herman Mashaba and SSG Group chief executive, Fred Arendse, for providing support to the families of the trapped miners.
“What amazes us is that illegal mining continues unabated. Last year we abandoned our mission after an illegal miner died in the mine. We want to continue doing things legally, but the wait has been too long,” he said.
According to Mazibuko, last year’s efforts unearthed the fence which was about five metres from the container in which their colleagues perished. This gave them hope that they were close to the container before the search was called off.
The camping miners are suffering severe financial and personal losses as they continue to lobby for help to retrieve the container.
“Our cars have been repossessed, marriages have ended in divorce, but we are left with no option but to continue the fight,” he concluded.