Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has expressed concern over the request to provide anti-retroviral (ARV) medication to illegal miners trapped underground at the disused Stilfontein mine shaft in North West. This follows a report by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Monday stating that ARVs would be sent to the miners after they requested the medication. The miners, who are believed to number in the thousands, are stranded and reportedly in urgent need of medical assistance.
The request was made after the High Court in Pretoria issued an interim order prohibiting anyone, including government or private institutions, from blocking the mine shaft. Judge Brenda Neukircher’s ruling also mandated that relief workers be granted access to the miners to provide food, medical attention, and other essentials. This came in response to an urgent application filed by the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution, challenging the government’s stance on the miners, whom it had labeled “criminals.”
On Monday, authorities and community rescue teams received a note from the miners written in isiZulu, asking for ARVs to be sent into the shaft. The note read: “Sicela ama ARVs plz, abantu bayawadinga ngapha. Siyacela bandla”, which translates to: “Can we please have ARV pills? People need them here, please.”
While acknowledging the desperate situation of the miners, Minister Motsoaledi explained that ARVs are not over-the-counter medications and cannot be distributed without proper medical procedures. He stated that, according to standard health protocols, ARVs should only be given to individuals who have been diagnosed with HIV by a medical professional.
Motsoaledi emphasised that medication is typically dispensed only after a doctor’s examination and prescription, and that distributing ARVs without this process could potentially cause harm. He questioned how SAPS could ensure the proper handling and distribution of ARVs in the absence of individual medical diagnoses.
“The issue of you getting medication is between you and your doctor,” Motsoaledi said. “A doctor must diagnose you and prescribe for you. Antiretrovirals are not Panado, they are not over-the-counter medication.”
He also raised concerns about how SAPS would manage the logistics of sending ARVs down the shaft without proper medical oversight. He questioned who the ARVs would be addressed to, and what exactly they would be treating, given that the diagnosis of the miners remains unknown.
While Motsoaledi expressed doubts about the plan, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu clarified that SAPS would not obstruct any efforts to assist the miners, as outlined in the court order. However, the health minister remains cautious about the legality and potential risks involved in sending ARVs to the miners without proper medical evaluation.
The situation remains tense, with the miners’ safety and the proper handling of their medical needs at the center of the ongoing debate.
