Families lay charge against management
The families of the three mineworkers who were trapped underground at Lily Mine three years ago, have opened culpable homicide charges against Vantage Goldfields South Africa (VGSA) management.
LOW’S CREEK – The families of Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyrenda also want the mine to compensate them for the pain and loss they have suffered.
Sifiso Nkambule, Pretty’s brother, who is the spokesman for the families, said the past three years have not been easy for them.
Since February 5, 2016, it has been sleepless nights for us. We ask ourselves questions that we cannot answer. Not to mention the children, who are suffering greatly. They ask too many questions that are so hard to answer, like: ‘Where is mommy? She left home for work, but why she has not come back?’ We have to lie to the young ones so that they are not disturbed,” said Sifiso.
Pretty’s father died in February.
“We lost Pretty’s father due to the stress of not knowing what will happen and when will this be resolved,” Sifiso says.
Read More: Creditors question Lily Mine loan
“It is painful for a parent to die not knowing what happened to his child. This is a great pain to endure.”
He further accused the VGSA management of not working with the three families.
One day when we went to the VGSA offices to ask Mike McChesney about the delays that are happening, they called security as if we were thieves. That showed how they disrespect us.
“Actually, they see us as if we are nothing and we don’t matter to them. They don’t feel our pain, and what we are going through.”
He said an inquiry revealed that the mine collapse was due to the negligence by VGSA management. “This brings us to the conclusion that the VGSA management did not care about the safety of their employees.
They only care about the money they make.
On March 4, 2019 in a meeting with McChesney at his office, he showed no remorse nor respect. He told us that he is not responsible for what happened to our families.
“We hope that they will be held accountable for their actions. We want closure so we can move on with our lives. We also want McChesney, his company and his board of VGSA directors to compensate the families for the pain and loss they have caused us.”
McChesney said VGSA was not aware of any actions being taken by family members of the deceased workers.
Const Fikile Lubisi, Low’s Creek Police Station spokesman, confirmed that a case of culpable homicide had been opened
