DANGEROUS MINE FUMES HAMPER RESCUE EFFORTS
100 trapped, say relatives
A SANGOMA and a priest were called upon to help after rescue workers abandoned an operation to save trapped illegal miners.
According to the families of the men at least around 100 people are trapped in a disused mine shaft near Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.
Emergency Medical Rescue Services spokeswoman Nana Radebe told Sowetan yesterday that the search was called off on Sunday due to the extremely dangerous levels of carbon monoxide underground.
Radebe said people were warned not to go underground, describing the shaft as a “death trap ”.
She said pamphlets were handed out on Saturday warning people of the dangers. She said there was nothing more they could do.
However, men believed to be illegal miners and relatives of those trapped underground resolved to conduct their own rescue operations after rescue workers abandoned their mission on Saturday.
Hawks spokesman Paul Ramaloko said it was illegal for any unauthorised person to go underground.
The body of an 18-year-old man was retrieved from the shaft by rescue workers on Saturday.
Yesterday relatives of the trapped men gathered around the hole hoping for news on their loved ones.
A man stood on a mound of earth and addressed the gathered relatives.
The man who refused to be named asked people for donations to make provision for the volunteers.
People were ordered to take their hats and shoes off as a sign of respect.
He then approached the hole accompanied by a sangoma and a priest.
With his hand held up in the air, the man asked God to shine his light so the lost men could be found.
The relatives offered solemn prayers and song as a group of volunteers prepared to go down the shaft in search of the men.
Among the gathered groups was Rejoice Ndlovu who said six of her younger brothers had been trapped underground since Friday.
Ndlovu said families from various communities had started coming together to write down the names of those missing and to gather information. She said there could be close to a 100 people missing.
“I am pleading with the government to come back and help us.
“There are more people trapped underground,” Ndlovu said.
She showed Sowetan a list of about 20 people whom she said were from the nearby Matholeville informal settlement.
Ndlovu said there were more lists from other areas.
Men who volunteered to do the search on Saturday said the conditions were extremely harsh underground.
Themba Sibanda said four of his younger brothers were missing.
Sibanda said they were disappointed that the search had been called off, but hoped something would come of their search.
Incidents of trapped illegal miners have been occurring regularly around Johannesburg ’ s old gold mines.
Several deaths have been reported and more than 100 people have been arrested this year alone.