Stilfontein: President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed government’s commitment to resolving the tense situation at Stilfontein in the North West, through peaceful and safe measures. In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President emphasised the importance of upholding human rights and fostering peace amidst the ongoing standoff in the area.
According to South African Government News Agency, more than 1,000 miners have surfaced and have been arrested, and those who resurface are assessed by medical personnel on site. Those in good health are detained and will be processed according to the law, while those who require medical care will be taken to hospital under police guard. The President made it clear that the activities of these miners are illegal and they pose a risk to the nation’s economy, communities, and personal safety.
The President described the Stilfontein mine as a crime scene where illegal mining is being committed, highlighting the need for standard police practices to secure such sites. H
e emphasized that while police carry out their duties, great care should be taken to ensure that lives are not put at risk and that the rights of all people are respected.
Efforts to address illegal mining have included the establishment of a task force involving various parts of the security cluster, with personnel from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed to support police operations. For over a month, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other government agencies have been working to resolve the situation of several hundred illegal miners refusing to surface from the abandoned gold mine.
The operation forms part of the nationwide Operation Vala Umgodi, which aims to crack down on illicit mining activities across the country. The President noted that law enforcement authorities have information suggesting that some of the miners may be heavily armed, and that illegal miners are often recruited by criminal gangs as part of organized crime syndicates.
The President also pointed
out the considerable risks posed by illicit and unregulated mining, including the presence of explosives, toxic fumes, and the potential collapse of unstable mine shafts. These hazards endanger not only the illegal miners but also the police and other law enforcement agencies involved in the operation.
Law enforcement agencies have been negotiating with the illegal miners since the standoff began, aiming to bring them to the surface and to safety. Police, mine safety experts, and emergency personnel have maintained a presence at the site, sealing off entrances used by the miners to transport supplies underground, a move that has sparked public debate over the rights and activities of illegal miners.
The President highlighted the detrimental impact of illicit mining on surrounding communities, with illegal miners implicated in serious crimes such as murder and gang rape. He noted that illicit mining activity costs the South African economy billions of rands in lost export income, royalties, and taxes, and th
at violence between rival gangs has spilled over into surrounding communities.
The President further noted the health hazards posed by materials used in illegal mining, recalling an incident last year in Boksburg, Gauteng, where 16 people, including three children, were killed in an explosion linked to gas used by illegal miners to process gold. Such accidents highlight the dangers of illegal mining activities to both miners and innocent civilians.