Court Orders Rescue Access at Stilfontein Mine

The Gauteng High Court has ordered the unblocking of the Stilfontein mine shaft to allow trapped illegal miners to surface, following an application from the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution. The ruling comes amid a police operation, 'Operation Vala Umgodi', aimed at curbing illegal mining, which has led to severe restrictions on supplies, leaving an estimated 4,000 miners underground. Authorities initially refused to assist the miners, with the Minister in the Presidency stating that they would be 'smoked out' instead of helped. The court's decision prohibits any blocking of the shaft and allows emergency personnel to access the site safely. This situation has raised humanitarian concerns, particularly after bodies were retrieved and reports of starvation emerged. The government faces criticism for its handling of the crisis, with local communities demanding a more compassionate response to those trapped underground.