The families of the three Lily Mine workers who were trapped underground when the mine caved in, in 2016, are calling for criminal investigations to be instituted against the Lily Mine management.
This after the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga handed down a judgment into the inquest of the Lily Mine disaster.
The court found that Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi, and Solomon Nyirenda died instantly when the mine collapsed in 2016. The court also found that illegal mining activities were the primary cause of the collapse of the mine.
Yvonne Mnisi’s father, Themba Mnisi and former employee, Harry Mazibuko had this to say. “The reason why we are calling for the arrest of Mike McChesney is that he is the one who allows illegal mining and also blocking the envisaged reopening of the mine.”
“Other witnesses did mention that the mine management use to mine pillars, unfortunately our powers are limited when it comes to court issues. Remember that the mine management in question that we are talking about, they are all related including the chief office of security so that’s the difficult part of each of which I believe that the magistrate or the court system didn’t pick that.”
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