The Namaqualand Civic Movement and the DA in the Northern Cape have expressed their condolences to the families of an unverified number of miners who are believed to have died when they were trapped underground at Nuttaboy Mine in Namaqualand after a tunnel apparently collapsed.
According to reports, between four to 12 illegal miners are believed to have died in the incident.
The cause of the collapse is unknown at this stage.
The DFA contacted people in the area but they stated that they do not have further information on the matter and did not want to speculate on the latest happenings.
The Namaqua Civic Movement said in a statement that it was shocked by the incident and urged the affected families to remain strong and positive.
“As the civic organisation, we wish to send our condolences to the bereaved families. Those families whose loved ones are still missing, we urge them to remain positive. We believe that the outcome will be positive,” read the statement.
The DA in the Province said in a statement on Facebook that it was saddened by the deaths of the miners and “it blamed the ANC” for the tragedy.
The constituency head of the party for Namaqualand, Dr Isak Fritz, said the ruling party has failed the people of Namaqualand.
“In 2018, the former deputy minister of the relevant department, Godfrey Oliphant, promised that permits to small-scale miners in the region would be expedited to allow for a greater deal of protection. Over the years, the DA has submitted letters requesting interventions to local authorities, but still government is silent,” said Fritz.
Due to the late hour of publication, the department could not be reached for comment.
* This is a developing story.
DFA