• Stilfontein miners have asked for traditional herbs to perform ancestral rituals as they face starvation underground.
• Over 1,500 miners have already come out while others claim 109 have died below ground.

The government will begin a rescue operation at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein, the Pretoria High Court heard on Friday.

Pieter Alberts, chief director for legal services at the mineral resources and energy department said the Minerals Council SA (formerly known as the Chamber of Mines) had agreed to contribute to the substantial costs of the rescue, which is estimated to be about R12m.

On Thursday, the illegal miners underground in Stilfontein have asked for imphepho to help them talk to their ancestors.

In a handwritten note sent up on Thursday, the starving miners asked for cleaning fluid and imphepho—a traditional African plant burned during rituals with ancestors.

The miners claim 109 of their fellow workers have died underground.

“More and more people are dying by the hour. We are in deep trouble and need your urgent intervention. We are living in fear and need the following: Barriers, washing powder and face mask/lotion,” reads the letter.

On Thursday, rescue teams brought up one badly decomposed body that couldn’t be identified.

The miners told authorities and volunteers they were starving. Recent rains have made it harder to send food down to them.

Last week, some miners claimed others had turned to eating human flesh because they were so desperate for food.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata said they couldn’t confirm these reports. He said police were still watching the abandoned mine shafts while Mine Rescue Services checked how safe they were.

The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) president Mametlwe Sebei said many miners are dying in the extremely hazardous journey involved in crawling underground to Shaft 10 which is the only shaft connected to Shaft 11 through these flooded treacherous tunnels.

The union has strongly condemned the South African Police Service (SAPS) in allegedly depriving the trapped miners of essential food, water and medical supplies.

More than 1,500 miners have come out since police started their “Vala Umgodi” (Close the Mine) operation in the area.

Police are still trying to get more miners to come to the surface.

Pictured above: A decomposed body that was retrieved on Thursday in Stilfontein.

Source: SAPS