Subscribe & Follow
Advertise your job vacancies
Trending
Show more
Stilfontein: ‘It was not an illness that killed them. It was starvation’
6 Jan 2025
“It was not an illness that killed them. It was starvation. A cruel, drawn-out death that consumed them piece by piece.” These were the chilling words of Clement Moeletsi, a rescued illegal miner, as he described the inhumane conditions faced by those trapped underground in Stilfontein's disused mineshafts. Moeletsi’s affidavit, which was shared with Bizcommunity and other news outlets last week, sheds light on the grim reality endured by hundreds of illegal miners in the North West province, where the government’s Operation Vala Umgodi has escalated tensions and drawn sharp criticism.
Since the operation’s implementation on 1 December 2023, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested over 1,000 illegal miners.
Police spokesperson Adele Myburgh confirmed that officers are targeting those emerging from underground at Stilfontein, but human rights groups have criticised the operation's methods.
Reports of starvation, inadequate access to medical aid, and blocked supplies have painted a dire picture of life below ground.
“People began eating cockroaches and mixing toothpaste with salt to create makeshift meals,” Moeletsi recounted, illustrating the miners' desperate struggle for survival after police cut off food and water supplies.
Government officials, however, have countered accusations that miners are trapped, insisting the designated exit points remain accessible.
Official response
In a 29 December 2024 statement addressing misconceptions surrounding the Stilfontein operations, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) clarified its position.
“The notion that miners remain trapped solely due to police actions is misleading,” the statement read.
SAPS has implemented measures to secure the area and prevent further illegal activities, but designated exit points have been established to allow miners to surface safely and face due legal processes. The miners possess the means to exit independently, as demonstrated by those who have surfaced in recent days.
The government stressed its commitment to upholding the rule of law while ensuring the safety and humane treatment of individuals who choose to come above ground.
However, immediate aid to those trapped underground was not prioritised to avoid facilitating illegal activities, according to the statement.
Ramaphosa calls for peaceful resolution
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his 18 November 2024 letter, called for a balanced and humane approach to resolving the crisis.
“The stand-off at Stilfontein must be resolved peacefully and safely.”
He also stood firm on his position that illegal mining constitutes a serious form of criminality linked to organised crime syndicates and broader issues of violence and exploitation.
“As a government, we have made a clear determination to deal with acts of criminality, whether they be cash-in-transit heists, extortion, illegal mining, gang violence, or related crimes,” Ramaphosa wrote.
The hazardous nature of illicit and unregulated mining poses considerable risk in terms of the presence of explosives, the inhalation of toxic fumes and the possible collapse of unstable mine shafts. This endangers not only the illegal miners, but also our police and other law enforcement agencies.
“It is standard police practice everywhere to secure a crime scene and to block off escape routes that enable criminals to evade arrest,” Ramaphosa explained about the controversial police action of sealing off mine entrances.
“In doing so, the police must take great care to ensure that lives are not put at risk and that the rights of all people are respected.”
As a country committed to the rule of law and dedicated to upholding the human rights of all, we will continue to work towards a peaceful resolution of the stand-off at Stilfontein.
A cycle of violence and neglect
Illegal mining, or "zama zama" activity, has long plagued South Africa’s mining regions, costing the economy billions.
However, human rights defenders argue the government has failed to meet its constitutional obligations.
Magnificent Mndebele of the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) labelled the lack of consistent aid a “miscarriage of justice,” highlighting the dismissal of a court application to compel the state to ensure humane treatment for those underground.
The South African government reiterated its commitment to working to address the root causes and aims to create safer communities, citing its significant risks to individuals and the broader community.
Initiatives such as Operation Vala Umgodi form part of an ongoing campaign to rehabilitate abandoned mines and prevent further unlawful exploitation.
Deepening humanitarian crisis
Moeletsi's affidavit details the fallout of Operation Vala Umgodi, with stories of starvation, failed escape attempts, and a harrowing struggle for survival.
“The air was heavy with sickness,” he wrote, describing conditions that led to preventable deaths and left many miners orphaning their children.
His plea to the court calls for accountability and immediate intervention to prevent further loss of life.
As Stilfontein’s tragedy unfolds, Moeletsi’s words serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of this crisis: “No one, despite what they have done, should ever endure such suffering again.”
