On 10 June 2009, the Select Committee on Economic Development unanimously agreed to visit Harmony Gold's Eland Shaft to assess and familiarise itself with the tragic death of illegal miners. The Committee's intention in exercising its oversight role was to engage the mine management, hostel dwellers and the Department of Police. The Committee visited the hostel to identify problem areas in relation to measures to prevent unauthorised persons from gaining access to abandoned mines. The Committee also wanted to see how best Parliament could intervene in improving the safety record of mines in South Africa.