Mohloai Mpesi
THERE is a ray of hope for the exhumation of the bodies of 30 Basotho illegal miners, colloquially referred to as zama-zamas, whose bodies remain in a disused mine shaft in Virginia, South Africa.
Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, told the National Assembly this week the South African government was making concerted efforts to ensure the now decomposed corpses were retrieved.
According to Mr Mpotjoane South African authorities had done a lot of work to reduce the levels of methane gas that exploded in the shaft causing the illegal miners’ deaths.
The illegal miners were reported to have been trapped inside the belly of the Shaft on May 18, 2023, with 30 perishing inside while two survived.
The two who survived managed to recover only three corpses of their colleagues.
The corpses were later buried in Ntṧirele and Tsokung Ha Nthoba, Mapoteng on the 24th of August 2023.
Meanwhile, the remaining 27 corpses are yet to be retrieved.
While Mr Mpotjoane said it was not clear when the bodies would be retrieved, he said the Department of Natural Resources and Energy in South Africa, had established a task team that has been working on reducing the level of methane gas in the shaft to allow for safe entry
“……The government will not cease to work with our partners in the Republic of South Africa to ensure that the remains of the deceased come home,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, had on 28 September 2023, during the inking ceremony of the South African-Lesotho Bi-National Commission (BNC), vowed his government would ensure that the corpses were retrieved.
“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate loss of the lives of illegal miners in Harmony Gold Mine in Welkom. Our governments are working with the mining company on the best methods and plan to retrieve the bodies of the miners without endangering the rescue personnel,” President Ramaphosa had said.
