STILFONTEIN, NORTH WEST: A crucial development in the ongoing mission to rescue illegal miners from Shaft 11 at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein has taken place with the assembly of a cage designed to retrieve miners from the abandoned shaft. This marks the beginning of phase three in the drawn-out rescue operation aimed at safely bringing to the surface hundreds of illegal miners who have been occupying the mine.
The operation is part of a broader initiative, Operation Vala Umgodi, which was launched in September to combat illegal mining activities across seven provinces in South Africa. Following the escalation of the operation, a task team consisting of law enforcement and mining experts was formed to target illegal mining in the North West region.
The newly assembled cage, a red cylindrical structure under two meters in height, is designed to transport up to 10 illegal miners at a time from the depths of Shaft 11. A surveillance camera has been mounted on top of the cage to ensure monitoring throughout the operation. Once safety measures and a dry run are successfully completed, the cage will be lowered approximately 2.5 kilometers down the shaft, with a community leader overseeing the operation. Discussions are ongoing to provide remuneration to the community leader for their involvement in this critical task.
In previous phases, law enforcement had expressed concerns over the risks of descending into the shaft, citing a lack of training and safety issues, while mining experts also raised alarm about the inherent dangers of such an operation. Despite these challenges, the R12 million operation is now entering its final stages, with the mission expected to continue for up to two more weeks, barring any further setbacks.
This final phase of the rescue operation aims to provide a safe and structured exit for the illegal miners occupying the site, a move that will hopefully contribute to curbing the rise of illegal mining activities in the region.