In the second week of March 2012, 20 illegal miners were trapped underground at a disused mine shaft. The rock fall that trapped them may or may not have killed them right away but it took 3 days for a rescue team to be given the go-ahead to begin rescue or body recovery operations. It took 3 days because mine rescue is seperate from government emergency rescue services. Currently, if a mine does not have a contract with mine rescue services, the rescue of trapped miners cannot begin.

Is the life of a miner worth less than that of another person, that rescue services can only be deployed at the scene of an accident if the owned property has a contract with the rescue services? Should contracts and bureaucratic processes matter before human life?

We protest greed and bureaucracy before the right to life. We call for the disused mine shaft at Gravelotte to be closed to prevent further loss of life and as a symbol of this protest. We call for mine rescue services to be absolutely nationalised and part of Government Emergency Response Services. Sign the petition and make your voice heard.

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