Six years today (05 February 2016) at about 08:10am three young miners were left trapped underground after the surface ground, along with a shipping container that the miners used as a lamp room caved into old underground mine workings at Lily Mine in Louisville, east of Barberton in Mpumalanga Province.
A portion of the crown pillar on Level 4 of the main mine failed, collapsing at the upper western portion adjacent to the mine entrance. Tragically three surface employees Pretty Nkambule; Yvonne Mnisi; and Solomon Nyirenda were buried in the sinkhole and disappeared underground.
Soon thereafter, following two attempts at rescuing the miners, the owners of the mine, Vantage Goldfields put the mine under business rescue. Why? The collapse meant that they were unable to continue mining. With mounting debts, various companies put their hands up as creditors to bid for the mine with the provision that they would implement business rescue plans that incorporate the safe retrieval of the lamp room container.
About two weeks ago, we travelled to Lily Mine to mark 1000 days since the families erected tent camp outside the mine in protest to fight for the retrieval of the lamp room container that has their children trapped inside.
Today marks 6 years since the container fell just over 60m underground with tragically ending of the lives of Pretty Nkambule (22); Yvonne Mnisi (30); and Solomon Nyirenda (37).
It defies logic that the South African government who were quick to deploy our expertise to Chile during a similar mine disaster that occurred on 5 August 2010 where 33 miners were also trapped at approximately 700m underground can continue to be complicit in denying the Lily Mine families the justice they deserve.
ActionSA will continue our support for the Lily Mine families regardless of the time it takes for the uncaring South African government who continually prioritise the lives of illegal immigrants, unscrupulous business interests and corrupt politicians over the ordinary, hard-working, law-abiding, and peace-loving people of our country.
