Lily Mine tragedy: Families continue to seek closure nearly a decade later
The ninth anniversary of the Lily Mine tragedy was mired by road blockages as families and community members arrived for this year’s event.
Image: Picture: Herman Mashaba / X
It has been nearly a decade since the tragic events at Lily Mine in Mpumalanga's gold belt, where a catastrophic collapse claimed the lives of three individuals and left a community grieving and without closure.
The incident, which occurred in February 2016, buried Solomon Nyirenda, Pretty Nkambule, and Yvonne Mnisi inside a container they were working in.Since that fateful day, they have been stuck in the mine's depths.
The mothers of Yvonne Mnisi, Pretty Nkambule and Solomon Nyirenda, the three miners whose remains are still trapped underground at Lily Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga. Picture: Supplied/ActionSA
Image: Supplied / Action SA
Since April 2019, family members of the victims have set up camp near the mine, living in a state of prolonged anguish while clutching onto hope that the remains of their loved ones will one day be recovered. This ongoing vigil speaks to the deep sense of loss and unresolved grief that hangs heavy over the families and the surrounding community, as they remain steadfast in their prayers for closure.
For the grieving families, the wait has been agonising, marked by a series of promises and delays that have only added to their heartache.
Scenes from a video provided by the mine showing the extend of the damage and rescue operation underway at Vantage Goldfields' Lily Mine in Barberton. Three mineworkers are yet to be retreived after the rescue operation went into it's eighth day.
Image: Picture: Screengabs Vantage Goldfiels Mine
The tragedy serves as a poignant reminder of the risks faced by miners and the families who live with the memory of lost loved ones. The Lily Mine disaster is not merely a past event; it reverberates through the present, underscoring the urgent need for accountability by mining bosses.
Despite a 2023 magistrate’s ruling that criminal investigations were necessary against the mine owners, senior Minerals and Energy Department officials, and Barberton police officers, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has yet to act.
Herman Mashaba, the ActionSA leader. Mashaba, who has been with the family through their plight, is now taking action against Shamila Batohi, the head of the NPA, for allegedly ignoring a court order to pursue criminal charges.
While we do not wish to personalise this tragedy, we empathise deeply with the families and offer them our hope, prayers, and strength.
As these families approach another Christmas and New Year without justice, the Lily Mine disaster stands as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for improved safety measures in the mining industry.