‘Misinformation and lies’ — police deny detonating explosives in Stilfontein mine shaft

The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) claims that members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) detonated explosives in Shaft 10 of the Buffelsfontein gold mine while miners were still trapped in the shaft.

This follows the police’s declaration that the rescue operation to retrieve miners from Shaft 11 was complete and that no further bodies or miners were detected as of Thursday, 16 January.

Giwusa’s president, Mametlwe Sebei, said that miners — possibly dead, injured or too weak to reach Shaft 11 — were still trapped in Shaft 10 when the alleged explosion occurred.

Sebei said that Giwusa and other organisations involved in the rescue had requested that the police send sniffer dogs and rescue personnel into Shaft 10 to look for additional bodies and survivors. Instead, he alleged, the shaft was blown up.

“Giwusa views this action as a blatant act of cover-up by the state and police, who no doubt did not want the Stilfontein body count to rise above 78. This amounts to interference with the administration of justice,” said Sebei.

Mametlwe Sebei. (Photo: Lucas Ledwaba / Mukurukuru Media)

The union said it had eyewitness testimony from survivors who escaped the shaft, painting a grim picture of the conditions underground. These accounts include reports of dozens of bodies suspended and damaged from falling after several trapped illegal miners attempted a three-day climb from the deep shaft to the surface.

“According to these witnesses, after they fell, these miners’ bodies were broken apart by the force of the fall, with many torsos seen without heads. Hands, legs and heads were scattered everywhere. It is obvious that the state and police did not want footage of this reaching the public,” Sebei alleged.

“In our view, the search was not entirely exhausted, especially in a situation where we are certain that miners like Zinzi Tom’s brother, who is still unaccounted for, could still be underground alongside many others. Even if everyone is dead, there is still a need to explore ways of retrieving the bodies, regardless of their state, and to return them to their loved ones,” he said.

The SAPS released a statement on Saturday dismissing the allegations from Giwusa as “misinformation and lies”.

National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said that after hearing the allegation that the police detonated explosives in Shaft 10, the SAPS instructed its explosives team to inspect the shaft and found no evidence of blasting.

“The SAPS reminds those behind this peddling that, according to the Explosives Act 26 of 1956, Section 27 (1A), it is an offence to communicate false information regarding any explosion or alleged explosion. Those who do so will be guilty of an offence. The SAPS is engaging its legal team on a way forward,” said Mathe.

Rescue volunteer arrested

Giwusa accused the police of attempting to cover up the depths of the humanitarian crisis by arresting Mzwandile Mkwayi, one of the volunteers from nearby Khuma township who spent three days going in and out of Shaft 11 retrieving miners.

Mkwayi was arrested on Friday for allegedly breaking his parole conditions for a murder conviction by speaking to the media.

“This is a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him, preventing him from revealing the testimony of atrocities at Shaft 10 that were shared with him by survivors,” said Sebei.

When Daily Maverick spoke to Mkwayi moments before he was taken into custody by Correctional Services, the man, who had spent three days going in and out of the mine retrieving miners — both dead and alive — detailed the impact the rescue operation had on him.

“What I experienced in that shaft was very traumatic. It smelled terrible in there [on account of the dead bodies] because it was hot and there was no refrigeration. With the people who were still alive, you could see that if we had not come to rescue them, they would have died.

“They [the miners] told us they were eating cockroaches and human flesh that they were told was pork. Every time I came out of that shaft, I was so down, but we had to be strong for the miners.

“What I saw was very painful, and I don’t think it will ever leave my mind as long as I live,” said Mkwayi.

“Mandla Charles [the other volunteer] and I decided to volunteer and save them because all we have wanted this whole time was to rescue the people who were trapped in the mine.

“We rescued these people with our own hands. Even the dead, we picked them up and put them in body bags with the help of the miners.”

After his arrest, Mkwayi confirmed that he was taken into custody on an unrelated matter and told Daily Maverick that he could no longer talk to the media as directed by the police.

Giwusa president Sebei said Mkwayi was arrested again on Saturday and would serve 48 hours for allegedly defaulting on community service.

“This comes after he willingly gave his time and energy for three days to retrieve people from Shaft 11 under the supervision of the police themselves,” added Sebei.

SAPS spokesperson Mathe said Mkwayi was held by the Department of Correctional Services and was not in the custody of the police. DM