Roodepoort community fears for trapped illegal miners

Roodepoort community fears for trapped illegal miners! Community members from Jerusalem in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, have expressed growing concern over the delayed rescue of two illegal miners who have been trapped underground at the Rand Leases Gold Mine since Saturday.

The men, believed to be zama zamas (illegal miners), became stranded after the rope and pulley system they were using to access the shaft snapped, causing a makeshift platform to cave in. Now, their lives hang in the balance, and residents fear that time is running out.

Rescue Operations Halted Over Safety Concerns

Mine rescue experts arrived on-site on Monday to assess the dangerous conditions inside the abandoned shaft. However, after conducting a technical evaluation, the operation was called off due to serious safety concerns.

One of the rescue team members descended into the mine for an assessment but was forced to turn back at around 70 meters due to low oxygen levels and the instability of the shaft.

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi described the dangerous conditions underground:

“We reached the makeshift platform where there’s a hole that leads to makeshift stairs. That area is actually dangerous for the rescuers, hence the decision to terminate the operation.”

He added that alternative rescue strategies are being considered, but without a clear map of the old mine, access remains limited.

Frustration Among Locals and Families

Despite the authorities’ decision to suspend the rescue, frustrated locals and relatives of the trapped miners are demanding answers. Many fear that the delay could mean certain death for the two men.

Community leader Zibuse Memela spoke out about the growing concern and lack of communication:

“These people are still there, but no one is telling us if they are alive or not. We cannot even hear them screaming anymore.”

For families and friends of the trapped men, the waiting game is agonizing.

While Memela acknowledged the dangers of illegal mining in the area, he emphasized that the trapped miners are members of the community, not just faceless zama zamas.

“We are here because these both of them are people that are known in this community, and one of them, even myself, I think I know him.”

Illegal Mining: A Growing Crisis

The Rand Leases Gold Mine is one of many abandoned mines in South Africa that have become hotspots for illegal mining. With gold prices remaining high, thousands of zama zamas risk their lives daily to extract whatever remains from these disused shafts.

Illegal mining, while providing income for many unemployed South Africans and foreign nationals, is extremely dangerous. Collapsed tunnels, toxic gases, and violent confrontations with law enforcement make it a deadly trade.

Earlier this year, several illegal miners lost their lives in similar incidents, yet desperate men continue to enter the abandoned tunnels, hoping for a small fortune.

What Happens Next?

With the rescue currently suspended, questions remain about what authorities will do next.

Community members are calling for action, urging rescue teams to find another way to retrieve the two men. However, without safe access to the shaft, any operation could put rescuers’ lives at risk as well.

In the meantime, families of the trapped miners can only hope for a miracle—but as each hour passes, the chances of survival dwindle.

Whether authorities will resume the rescue efforts or abandon them entirely remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: for families, friends, and the local community, the anguish of waiting is almost unbearable.

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