The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, has accused Lesotho of “economic sabotage” and says that this country is blind to illegal mining operations in South Africa.
The minister’s comments follow after at least 31 suspected illegal miners died in a ventilation shaft at the Virginia mine in Welkom last month. These victims are believed to be Lesotho citizens.
Lesotho’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Relations disclosed the information in a report to South Africa.
The miners died in a shaft that was last operated in 1990.
According to the South African Department of Mineral Resources, information about the incident is still scarce, but the department is doing its best to respond to the available information, including information that three bodies have already been brought out of the shaft by miners.
Inspectors from the department, in collaboration with the previous owners of the mine, Harmony, carried out an assessment of the situation and determined that methane levels at this mine’s ventilation shaft 5 are very high.
“It is therefore too dangerous to call a search team to the shaft. However, we are looking at other possibilities to deal with the matter urgently,” the department said on Friday.
“Although this is a unique and strange situation, all role players will work together to ensure that the suspected deceased illegal miners are brought to the surface.”
Meanwhile, Mantashe sharply criticized the Lesotho government.
In an interview with Newzroom Africa, the minister says that Lesotho must cooperate with South Africa to combat illegal mining operations and that the mountain kingdom is guilty of economic sabotage by looking the other way.
(BREAKING NEWS) Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe accuses Lesotho of “economic sabotage”. He says the government of the mountain kingdom is turning a blind eye on illegal mining in South Africa.
Watch: https://t.co/PNS5WAJMij#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/2btMZjbvMi
— Newzroom Africa (@Newzroom405) June 23, 2023
Mantashe says that South Africa has already assisted Lesotho with other issues and that Lesotho should also enter into partnership with South Africa to stop illegal mining.
