SOS: Send beef – illegal miners underground at Stilfontein request meat

Friends and wives of some of the illegal miners previously set up camp near the disused mineshaft, preparing food. File Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers

Friends and wives of some of the illegal miners previously set up camp near the disused mineshaft, preparing food. File Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers

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After 1,000 units if mageu were lowered down the disused mine shaft at Stilfontein, where an unknown number of illegal miners have been holed up, the miners have requested a supply of beef.

On Tuesday, a message written in blue ink on a white piece of paper which was hoisted from the underground by community members and volunteers assisting the illegal miners, colloquially referred to as zama zamas.

The message seen by IOL read: "We apologise to tell u that those sick people, they ask us to tell u that they want something like beef so that they can be tight and also instant porridge they will be thankful (sic)."

IOL reported on Tuesday that an eleventh body was retrieved from the Stilfontein mine in the North West.

The body was retrieved by community volunteers who had lowered food down to the group of miners.

The volunteers, who lowered food parcels down shaft 11, pulled out a body after they received a note from the illegal miners to let them know a body would be coming up.

In that written note, the illegal miners stated they would be using the same ropes to send the bodies above surface as the ropes used to send down the food parcels.

The decomposed body was hoisted up as food parcels were sent down. It is believed more bodies are among those still trapped.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the body was retrieved from the mines where the illegal miners have refused to surface.

The retrieval of the bodies came after the community in Stilfontein was allowed to take down food to the trapped miners.

The food items that were delivered on Tuesday also include instant porridge and water.

IOL

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