Let’s Handle Illegal Miners Stuck in South African Disused Mine “in a way that respects their dignity”: Catholic Bishop

“Then, there is a question of syndicates that are allegedly using poor people to make huge profits,” he says, and continues, “Then, there is a question of the trapped illegal miners refusing to come out of the mines or being forced to stay underground. So, it is complex and requires research to assign responsibility for it.”

In his statement dated January 2, the South African Catholic Bihsop says that the “complexity notwithstanding, the immediate moral question is how you deal with human beings created in the image of God in a way that respects their dignity.”

“There is no one-way solution; we must agonize about all the frustrations around it but devise a humane way of dealing with them,” he emphasizes.

Over 1,000 illegal miners resurfaced, Reuters reported on 18 November 2024 and citing the police, added that “hundreds could still be underground”. 

The Reuters report quoted South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, as saying, "The Stilfontein mine is a crime scene where the offence of illegal mining is being committed. It is standard police practice everywhere to secure a crime scene and to block off escape routes that enable criminals to evade arrest."

More in Africa

Dedicated Co-Cathedral of Cameroon’s Buea Catholic Diocese “fruit of our collective prayers, contributions”: Bishop

Read the article

Residents and human rights groups have reportedly criticized South African authorities for blocking food and water supplies to the illegal miners. 

In his January 2 statement, Bishop Sipuka says that the challenge of illegal mining in South Africa “involves the economic system which allegedly lets big mining companies get away with murder in the way they make maximum profits.”

As the big companies act with impunity, he laments, they destroy the environment and fail to improve “the lives of the people in the area of mining while at the same time clamping down on poor people trying to make a living.”

The fact that the big companies fail to rehabilitate the mines adds to the challenge of mining in South Africa, Bishop Sipuka says. 

As a way forward, the South African Catholic Bishop since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2008 urges relevant authorities in South Africa to “refrain from giving in to frustrations around this and end up disregarding the dignity of people, as expressed in some of the unfortunate utterings and actions of the government and the police.”

“While the solution is yet to be found, we need to be patient and listen to each other because human beings are involved in this situation. I notice that the news focuses on the government, but nothing much is said about the mining companies who left these mines unrehabilitated and unclosed,” Bishop Sipuka laments. 

“The possibility of introducing the use of old mines for economic and employment creation should be explored,” he says.

The Catholic Church leader continues, “Police, while handling the present crisis of trapped people who are only foot soldiers, should also make their investigations about the alleged syndicate behind all this and have them prosecuted.”

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.