Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe Announces That Lily Mine Operations To Resume

• The Minister of Mineral Resources, Gwede Mantashe, announced that the Lily Mine in Mpumalanga will resume operations
• The mine shut down eight years ago when two underground levels collapsed, killing several people
• South Africans hoped that this could lead to the discovery of the container where miners died while stuck underground

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

MPUMALANGA—The Minister of Mineral Resources, Gwede Mantashe, said Lily Mine, which closed after a horrific accident in 2016 that left miners trapped underground, will resume operations.

Lily Mine to resume operations

SABC News reported that Mantashe spoke in the North West on 19 November 2024. He promised that the remains of the miners trapped in a container would be recovered before operations resumed. He said the vantage mine is trying to get the money back to open a shaft to extract the remains.

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Families of the miners who were trapped inside the container have been lobbying to have their loved ones' remains brought out from underground. The crown pillar that held the roof of levels three and four underground collapsed. Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyirenda died while trapped underground.

SA hopeful

Netizens on Facebook were hopeful that the remains of the three miners could be recovered.

Bongani Mgubela said:

"Maybe the resumption of operations could lead to the discovery of those missing miners so that their families can find closure."

Bommanas Boma said:

"Please try to get to that container."

Juvilation Matukane asked:

"Continue? Did they find the container and the missing people?"

Kgosi YaMakanyane Mgoli said:

"Hebanna. Mantashe is still a minister of something."

Lily Mine workers' families' outcry

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the family members of the Lily Mine workers who died while trapped underground battled to receive their relatives' remains.

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One of the families' spokesperson slammed the government for giving Vantage Goldfields the mining rights to resume operations despite their relatives' remains trapped underground.

Source: Briefly News