If dead miners starved, government must be held accountable: Vavi

The way officials treated this needless massacre 'shows how cheap black life is'

16 January 2025 - 14:52
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Saftu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. File photo.
Saftu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. File photo.
Image: Masi Losi

Zwelinzima Vavi, general secretary of the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), has vowed to hold the government accountable if pathological tests confirm that starvation caused the deaths of illegal miners in the Stilfontein mine.

At least 78 dead bodies have been pulled from the mine and 216 survivors have been rescued through rescue operations which started early this week.

“These miners, many of them undocumented and desperate workers from Mozambique and other Southern African countries, were left to die in one of the most horrific displays of state wilful negligence in recent history,” Vavi said.

“The method of killing through starvation is reminiscent of the most brutal wars and genocides. The South African government has often condemned the use of food as a weapon in conflicts such as the one between Israel and Palestine, but here at home it stands accused of employing the same barbaric tactics. This hypocrisy cannot go unnoticed.”

Vavi expressed outrage over the government's decision to block food and water supplies to the miners, forcing them to resurface. He argued that this approach compromised the miners' right to life.

“This massacre reflects the South African government’s failure to uphold the most basic tenet of our constitution: the right to life.

“The constitution guarantees this right to everyone within our borders, regardless of their nationality or legal status. To allow anyone — be they citizens or undocumented immigrants — to starve to death in the depths of the earth is a direct violation of this principle and the state’s constitutional responsibility to protect life.”

The government's “inhumane” response such as the statement made by Presidency minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni to “smoke them out” shows disregard for human life, he said.

Though the miners were engaging in illegal activities, Vavi said, their actions did not justify dying from starvation. He believes the government's approach should have been more sympathetic.

“It is unconscionable that the South African government allowed this situation to deteriorate to such an extent. The cold, nonchalant manner in which government officials treat this needless massacre is testament to how cheap black life is.”

TimesLIVE

www.timeslive.co.za


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