Ministers’ mixed messages over Stilfontein tragedy
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has contradicted Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni's previous statement that the government would ‘smoke out’ illegal miners in Stilfontein.
Speaking to the media this week, Mchunu deplored the deaths of illegal miners at Stilfontein in the North West province, where the bodies of dozens of men have been extracted.
Mchunu said the government had never suggested it would not rescue the stranded miners despite Ntshavheni in November last year apparently suggesting this.
"We have never ever been unwilling to assist, and I think I need to straighten that record. There is no way we would have repeatedly gone there, spoken about this, and even the design of Operation Vala Umgodi never suggested directly or indirectly that the government is unwilling to assist people to go out (of the mine)," Mchunu said.
Ntshavheni had initially stated that the government would not attempt to rescue the illegal miners, instead opting to "smoke them out."
However, Mchunu led a government delegation to Stilfontein the following day, aiming to end the standoff.
Mchunu clarified that Ntshavheni's statement did not reflect the government's collective stance.
"Let us not assume that just because a statement was made, therefore it is a statement from the collective of the government.
Statements made after concretely looking at the situation were not along those lines. We were saying "let us collaborate, let us work together“.
Mchunu outlined the government's earlier interventions, including allowing miners to resurface voluntarily, permitting community members to hoist stranded miners to the surface and seeking professional help for the rescue efforts.
Earlier IOL reported that as the rescue operation continued, tensions between the state, activists and community members in the area remained high.
Activists have condemned the government's slow response, while community members have demanded that the government rescue the miners.
IOL reported that Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA), described the situation as a "massacre."
"What has transpired here has to be called what it is. This is the Stilfontein massacre, because what the footage does is that it shows a pile of human bodies, of miners that died needlessly."
Mzukisi Jam, North West spokesperson for the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), criticised the government's initial plan to "smoke out" the miners.
"We should applaud the state for their initial plan to smoke these people out, it has worked. Thank you very much," Jam said sarcastically.
mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za