ActionSA Demands Justice for Lily Mine Victims or Vows to Act Alone

Nine years after the Lily Mine tragedy, ActionSA is turning up the heat on government inaction. The party has delivered a sharp ultimatum to Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe: retrieve the bodies of the three trapped workers within 60 days—or ActionSA will take matters into its own hands.

The victims—Solomon Nyirenda, Pretty Mkambule, and Yvonne Mnisi—were entombed in a container underground following a mine collapse in 2016. Despite years of public pressure and numerous government promises, their remains have yet to be recovered.

ActionSA’s Chief Whip, Athol Trollip, penned a letter to Mantashe on May 8, expressing frustration over continued delays. Trollip reminded the minister that during a recent meeting at the Inanda Club, Mantashe had described the retrieval as “imminent”—a word that rings hollow nearly a decade later.

“We are prepared to give the minister 60 days to honour his promise. Should he fail to do so, ActionSA will proceed independently,” Trollip stated.

He confirmed that ActionSA has secured permission from the Business Rescue Practitioners to access the mine and work with qualified specialists to explore safe recovery options.

This is not the first time ActionSA has threatened legal or direct action. Party president Herman Mashaba previously stated he was consulting with lawyers on the next steps if government failed to act.

Public frustration continues to mount. Last year, the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court ruled that those involved in the tragedy should face criminal charges. Yet the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has failed to follow through, drawing further ire from the families and ActionSA alike.

“It is the failure of our prosecuting authority to act that contributes to the rise of lawlessness in South Africa,” said Mashaba.

The Lily Mine case has become a powerful symbol of government neglect, particularly towards poor and black South Africans. For the families, the delay is not just a legal or political failure—it’s a personal tragedy that has stretched on for nearly a decade.

Whether Mantashe will respond within the 60-day deadline remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: ActionSA is no longer willing to wait.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com