The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has urged the Department of Social Development to prioritise the welfare of the children who resurfaced in the abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein, North West.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been conducting operation vala umgodi to limit supplies in an attempt to force out the hundreds believed to be underground.
EFF CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION IN STILFONTEIN
Earlier this week, it was reported that at least 96 children from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho are among scores of undocumented illegal miners that surfaced in the disused mine.
The minors were reportedly being held against their will and subjected to slavery.
In response, the Department of Social Development said it has coordinated with the embassies of Zimbabwe and Mozambique to facilitate the issuance of repatriation certificates, allowing for a smoother return process for the affected children, IOL reported.
In addition, Health services were being provided to ensure their well-being during this challenging time.
The EFF said the presence of children from countries in Southern Africa solidifies the fact that this is not merely an issue of illegal mining but a devastating indictment of cross-border child trafficking and exploitation.
“Reports of children being sexually violated, forced into hazardous labour, and subjected to the control of heavily armed criminal syndicates are catastrophic and cannot be ignored,” the party said.
The party reiterated its initial response to the situation in Stilfontein that any operation to deal with illegal mining must be conducted with meticulous care to avoid turning it into a humanitarian disaster.
“The vala umgodi operation which sought to block off mine shafts and cut off food and water supplies has only worsened the suffering of those trapped underground. The crude approach of “smoking out” miners without assessing the dire circumstances underground has not only failed but exposed the sheer negligence of authorities who have turned a blind eye to the potential loss of life and gross human rights violations,” EFF spokesperson Leigh-Anne Mathys said.
Further, the Red Berets called for the Department of Social Development to prioritise the welfare of the rescued children and ensure that they are safely reunited with their families or placed in protective care.
“South Africa cannot be a haven for human trafficking, and it is the government’s duty to safeguard the lives of the most vulnerable amongst us,” Mathys added.
COURT DISMISSES NGO’s APPLICATION
Meanwhile, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed an urgent application by the Society for the protection of our constitution for law enforcement not to block the shaft and to allow for basic supplies to be sent down to the shaft.
The organisation argued for food, water, medical aid and extraction efforts for the miners. However, Judge Brenda Neukircher ruled that the Society provided no expert evidence to demonstrate inadequacies in government-led rescue operations.
The police emphasised that the miners, mostly foreign nationals, are not trapped but remain underground voluntarily to avoid arrest.
DO YOU THINK BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHILDREN WHO SURFACED IN STILFONTEIN WERE TRAFFICKED?
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