The African Diaspora Forum (ADF), an umbrella body of migrant communities, has confirmed that four Zimbabweans were among the 21 suspected illegal miners whose bodies were discovered in a mineshaft in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa.
According to the ADF, authorities must take precautions to
protect underground miners, especially during the rainy season.
Initially, 19 bodies of suspected illegal miners, known in
South Africa as ‘zama zama,’ were discovered on Wednesday in Krugersdorp on the
West Rand, but two more bodies were discovered on Thursday morning, bringing
the total to 21.
Ten more suspected miners are said to be trapped elsewhere
in Springs, on Gauteng’s eastern side.
In an interview with CITE, ADF Executive Director Ngqabutho
Nicholas Mabhena, who is also the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in
South Africa, said steps needed to be taken to protect underground miners, as
he confirmed that four of the deceased were Zimbabweans.
“Our main concern is the safety underground, we call on
everyone involved in the mining to make sure that before they go underground,
there is safety. This is why we call for regulation of this mining so that
safety can be put in place so we do not continue losing lives,” he said.
Mabhena stressed the importance of safety, citing other
recent deaths of underground miners.
“This is not the first incident. It happened in 2016 we
assisted in retrieving bodies of other miners who died underground in
Johannesburg. In 2019, we did the same in Benoni. Early this year, some also
died underground. We are worried about these deaths,” said the ADF executive
director.
“ADF offers its condolences to the families of the 21
miners who died in Krugersdorp. We are told that the mine shaft was flooded
because of the rainy season and people lost their lives. Our deepest
condolences to the families.” CITE
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