Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia
Date: 22 November 2024
KAAX sends its solidarity and message of support to the families of loved ones who are trapped
in the Stilfontein mine. An injury to one is an injury to all. We call on all who live in South Africa to
consider the plight of human beings, irrespective of race, class, or nationality.
South Africa faces a profound humanitarian and governance crisis as the tragedy at Stilfontein’s
abandoned Buffelsfontein mine exposes systemic failures and xenophobic undercurrents in the
state’s response. Desperate informal miners (referred to as “zama zamas”) have been trapped
underground due to the blocking of the shafts by SAPS and are at the mercy of a government
whose actions and rhetoric reveal a pattern of neglect and disregard for their lives and basic
human dignity.
Like many similar communities battling poverty and exclusion, the abandoned Buffelsfontein mine
has become a last resort for making a living. South Africans and migrants alike risk their lives
extracting remnants of gold (and other minerals) from hazardous shafts because the state has
failed to implement reforms that could formalize artisanal mining. Further, many desperate ex
miners from other SADC countries have been recruited by criminal syndicates and are often held
as bonded labour, while experiencing high levels of exploitation and violence. The crisis must be
understood within the context of South and Southern Africa’s deepening systemic inequality and
rising economic despair.
The trapped miners’ plea for antiretroviral (ARV) medication has been met with shocking
indifference by Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, who has delayed providing these life
saving medications, citing legal and logistical hurdles, a decision that is a clear violation of
constitutional healthcare rights.
The refusal to deliver ARVs underscores a failure to prioritise human life. Minister Motsoaledi’s
inaction disregards the Doctor’s Oath’s principle of “do no harm, preserve life.” Instead, law
enforcement has actively blocked essential supplies, compounding the humanitarian crisis
underground. Such a punitive response is in direct contradiction of one of the core objectives of
The South Africa National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs (2023–2028)1, which “… is about
the people and communities of South Africa, and how they can be supported to achieve optimal
health and social outcomes… and (about) end(ing) inequalities and barriers to accessing HIV, TB
and STI services and solutions” The plan explicitly acknowledges the need to include migrants
and foreign nationals in healthcare strategies to achieve equity and effectiveness in combating
these diseases. It emphasizes the importance of removing barriers to access for these
populations, which often include discrimination, language barriers, and lack of documentation.
1https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/system/files/elibdownloads/2023-04/NSP-HIV-TB-STIs-2023-2028
MARCH20_23-PRINT2.pdf
Meanwhile, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni exacerbated the crisis by saying
government will “smoke them out.” This incendiary rhetoric criminalises all informal miners and
denies the reality of most being victims of systemic poverty and government failure. It reflects a
leadership style that prioritizes scapegoating over solutions. Such conduct erodes public trust and
undermines democratic values.
Indeed government negligence is at the heart of this crisis. For decades, abandoned mines have
been left unsealed and unmanaged, creating fertile ground for criminal syndicates to thrive. Mining
companies, having extracted immense profits, have shirked responsibility for rehabilitating
abandoned sites, while the government has failed to enforce accountability. This governance void
has turned ex-miners into “illegal” workers, forced to navigate dangerous conditions while facing
threats from police and criminal networks.
The xenophobic framing of this crisis is equally alarming. False narratives accusing migrants of
monopolising informal mining distract from the broader issues of poverty and government neglect.
This rhetoric not only fosters division but also absolves those in power from addressing systemic
failures.
A similar pattern is evident in the government’s recent clampdown on informal traders, particularly
migrant-owned spaza shops, under the pretext of food safety violations. Instead of implementing
comprehensive industry-wide regulations, the state targets small traders struggling to survive.
This selective enforcement fuels xenophobic sentiments while ignoring the structural issues that
endanger public health.
Immediate action is needed to address the Stilfontein crisis. Humanitarian relief, including the
urgent delivery of ARVs and essential supplies must be prioritised without delay and SAPS must
publicly commit to respect the dignity of any/all miners who surface. Leaders must be held
accountable for their words and actions. Dr. Motsoaledi must issue a public apology, while
Minister Ntshavheni must retract her irresponsible and divisive rhetoric
Besides these immediate actions, longer-term solutions are critical. Mining companies must be
held accountable for the rehabilitation of abandoned shafts and government – through the DMRE – must now confirm and actively pursue the formalisation of artisanal mining as per their own
policy adopted in 2022 – which is essential to neuter and dismantle criminal syndicates, protect
workers and address poverty.
This crisis is not an isolated incident but a reflection of systemic neglect, corruption, and the
weaponisation of xenophobia. As a country, we must confront these issues with urgency and
compassion. Without meaningful change, similar tragedies will continue to devastate communities
and erode the nation’s social fabric.
For more information, contact:
KAAX Communications Office
Email: media@kaax.org.za
Tel: +27 68 552 2510