The families of some of the illegal miners are pleading with the government to retrieve their loved ones from shaft 11 in Stilfontein in North West. They made the plea during a media briefing organised by civic and labour organisations. Some families say their loved ones are in dire need of food, water and medication. Nozipho Ntuli says two of her sons are underground.
"My two sons, one aged 25, another aged 22, are underground. So Im asking government to assist me so they can resurface. Sometimes I asked myself if I have something to eat, what are they eating down there? If they are dead let them retrieve them. Ill accept anything. Its not their fault, because they finished school, but cant get jobs. they cant rob people."
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions Zwelinzima Vavi says he stands in solidarity with the families.
"Between Tuesday and today no one has been rescued, no one has got any food, water or medicine. People will probably die even though they used to be there for three to six months. But without any supply of food, water and medicine they will probably die without any efforts to bring them to the surface. They will die underground and thats why SAFTU says this is an unfolding tragedy.
