The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) has expressed outrage following the bombing of Shaft 10 in Stilfontein on January 16.
The union, in a statement on Saturday, condemned the act, labelling it a deliberate attempt by authorities to obscure the full scale of the tragedy that has already claimed at least 78 lives.
“There are miners, including Ayanda Tom, whose sister brought the recent court cases, who we believe to have been in Shaft 10, possibly dead, injured or too weak to get to Shaft 11 to be rescued.
“GIWUSA and other organisations involved in advocating for the rescue had demanded that sniffer dogs and rescue personnel be sent down to look for other bodies and survivors, but instead the rescue was declared complete, and suddenly Shaft 10 was bombed!” the statement read.
“GIWUSA views this action as a blatant act of cover-up by the state and police, who no doubt did not want the Stilfontein body count to rise above 78. This amounts to interference with the administration of justice,” the statement added.
Adding to concerns, police arrested volunteer Mzwandile Mkwayi, who had spent days retrieving bodies and survivors from the shaft. Mkwayi, one of the few eyewitnesses to the catastrophic conditions in Shaft 10, was released on warning but rearrested shortly after.
Authorities claimed he defaulted on community service but warned him against speaking to the media—an action GIWUSA deems unconstitutional and an effort to silence key witnesses.
“Police gave no reason for the arrest. Mkwayi is one of the only two witnesses to the scene of more extremely horrific and massive deaths at Shaft 10, which they characterise as arguably worse than the catastrophic situation at Shaft 11.
“After pressure from activists, Police released Mkwayi on Friday and warned him not to speak to the media, which is unconstitutional. They have no right or legal basis to issue this instruction,” the statement read.
Survivors’ testimonies paint a grim picture of Shaft 10, where desperate miners attempting a three-day climb to the surface faced harrowing deaths.
Witnesses described bodies shattered by falls and scattered remains, evidence of the dire conditions the miners endured. GIWUSA asserts that authorities sought to prevent public exposure of these horrors.
“This ghastly sight is a revolting testament to the horrors the miners endured in their attempt to exit from this Shaft 10, as all other exit points were closed and/or without a pulley system, which finally settles any lingering doubt on whether Shaft 10 was a viable exit point for anyone trapped at Shaft 11 in these past few months,” GIWUSA said.
The union has criticised the authorities’ failure to conduct exhaustive searches or recover additional bodies, describing the decision to abandon efforts as dehumanising to the victims and their families.
“The union views this as a desperate attempt to cover up the truth and prevent Mzwandile Mkwayi from speaking out. The police’s blasting of Shaft 10, which was a critical piece of evidence, is a blatant obstruction and interference with the administration of justice.
“Shaft 10 was a vital piece of evidence as it was alleged by police to be a viable exit point for the trapped miners, and its destruction will severely compromise any investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Stilfontein tragedy as a whole. The police are clearly aware of growing calls for their investigation and are acting in anticipation of that,” the statement read.
GIWUSA demands an investigation into the bombing of Shaft 10 and the alleged intimidation of witnesses, insisting that accountability and transparency are essential to honour the lives lost in the Stilfontein tragedy.
