Lily Mine Collapse: The Painful Repercussions of Institutional Failure and Illegal Mining Activities

South African Magistrate Annemarie van der Merwe issued a judgment on Thursday, attesting that the 2016 fatal collapse at Lily Mine was a product of illegal mining operations and institutional failures by the police and the Department of Minerals, Resources and Energy (DMRE). In her damning remarks, she alleged these institutions failed in their constitutional duty to safeguard and cultivate an environment conducive to the wellbeing of both the current and future generations of the republic's populace.

The mine collapse resulted in the tragic loss of three mineworkers, Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi, and Solomon Nyirenda, whose bodies are still trapped within the mine's underground debris, seven years following the incident.

In her findings, Van der Merwe stated, "the institutions of the SAPS and DMRE were merely giving lip service to the issue of illegal mining. They were not effectively addressing the issue at the time of the Lily Mine disaster." As a result, these institutions failed to guarantee the safety of the three deceased workers, whose lives were claimed in an incident triggered by illegal mining activities.

The investigation, over which the magistrate presided, was intended to ascertain the party responsible for the unfortunate 2016 incident. Although the bodies have not been retrieved to date, Van der Merwe assured that the evidence presented in court ascertained beyond any doubt that the three workers had unfortunately perished.

She contended that the instant demise of the trio resulted from the overwhelming weight of rocks and debris that ensued from the mine's collapse.

Mike McChesney, CEO of Goldfields, the company which owned Lily Mine, lauded the court's resolution, expressing relief on the issue reaching closure. He expressed gratitude to the magistrate and participating assessors and shared plans towards reopening the mine to provide employment opportunities.