Southern African leaders have come under fire for their inaction regarding the Stilfontein mine disaster, where 78 bodies have been recovered, and 84 people rescued.
Mutondzi Mutandiri , the director of operations at the Southern African Liaison Office (SALO), criticized regional heads of state, saying they had ample time to engage South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the plight of those trapped in the mine. Mutandiri’s comments highlight the broader implications of regional leadership failures in protecting migrant workers, many of whom are believed to be Zimbabweans.
The tragedy has left Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, scrambling to determine whether any of the deceased were Zimbabwean nationals. The ongoing search efforts continue amid fears that the death toll could rise further.
