Johannesburg - A group of people waited anxiously outside the George Harrison Park in Langlaagte on Sunday afternoon where emergency services workers were trying to rescue trapped illegal miners.
Two groups of illegal miners allegedly went down a disused shaft on Wednesday and Thursday. So far, only three have been rescued. It's not known how many are still down the shaft or whether they are still alive.
Spokesman for the police Captain Kay Makhubele said they got a call on Saturday afternoon that there were some people trapped at the disused shaft.
He said when they arrived at the mine, they got information that a group of illegal miners went down on Wednesday. When they failed to emerge from the shaft, 16 other illegal miners went down to try and rescue them. However, of that 16, only eight got out.
“We don't know how many people are underground. We started with the rescue this morning at 8.30 and only managed to rescue three.
“One was taken to the hospital,” he said.
Makhubele said the reason they only started on Sunday was because they had to arrange the rescuers and they said they would be able to start to start on Sunday because at the time that they got the information it was already late.
Among the people who had gathered at the shaft were sangomas who claim to have been aware of the trapped miners since Friday.
They said they had been at the shaft since that day, performing rituals to appease the snake they claim to be the one that had captured the miners.
Police also allowed them to perform the ritual not far from the shaft.
Two of the illegal miners who were rescued have since been arrested. The rescue mission continues.
The Star