Govt helps Lily mine families

10/02/2015 AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa to brief the media on the status of the rescue operations at Vantage Goldfields Lily Mine where three mine workers have since been trapped. Picture: Phill Magakoe

10/02/2015 AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa to brief the media on the status of the rescue operations at Vantage Goldfields Lily Mine where three mine workers have since been trapped. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Feb 17, 2016

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Johannesburg - Government on Wednesday announced that it had started helping the families of the workers trapped at Lily Gold Mine in Barberton with social relief measures and therapy.

However, government is not contributing financially towards the rescue mission.

Wednesday marks the 12th day since Yvonne Mnisi, Pretty Mazibuko and Solomon Nyerende became trapped underground.

The trio were working in a shipping container office when the entrance of the mine collapsed, leading to the container falling into the ground and being covered by rocks.

“The affected families have received trauma debriefing and counselling services as well as referrals to Sassa [South African Social Security Agency] for social relief of distress and food parcels for three months,” the Department of Mineral Resources said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Read also:  Mine tragedies across South Africa

It added it would help affected families and other workers from the mine with services including therapy and on site social relief of distress including tents, blankets, mattresses and food.

Government said it would also provide community therapy targeting mines, traditional leadership, unions, municipality, schools and the employer.

On Monday, Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza said the provincial government had delayed requesting that the collapse be declared a national disaster because mine officials had assured them they had the situation under control.

Government's intervention comes after President Jacob Zuma asked Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane; the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Susan Shabangu; and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini to provide support to the families of the miners.

Read also:  Experts assess Lily Mine shaft

Vantage Goldfields, owners of Lily mine, on Tuesday assured parliamentary officials that it would spare no effort in ensuring that its three workers trapped underground were rescued.

Expert geological teams were working on Tuesday to reassess the possibility of taking rescuers underground after the rescue mission was suspended at the weekend following a second major ground collapse in the open pit area on Saturday.

This widened the exposed sinkhole, sending more rocks and other debris into the underground mining area.

On Saturday, Vantage Goldfields offered R200 000 to the families of each of the three miners still trapped. The other workers who were rescued on the day of the incident would be compensated R50 000 each, the company said.

Lily mine is currently closed but community members have been holding prayers at the mine with the family members of the trapped miners.

AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY

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