The emergence of 20 miners this week has coincided with a court appearance where 14 miners appeared in court in Mpumalanga on Thursday. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The legal case between the government and the 14 Mozambican illegal miners who were detained after they resurfaced from the abandoned Stilfontein gold mine in the North West this week has been postponed to December 10.
This is despite the fact that the North West government is still closely monitoring the illegal miners who are reportedly emerging after weeks of increased efforts to bring them to the surface following the start of Operation Val' Umgodi.
The ongoing crisis of illegal mining, particularly in the North West province, continues to escalate as government authorities remain in high alert.
This follows a notable increase in illegal miners, colloquially known as zama zamas, emerging from the depths of abandoned shafts, much to the concern of local communities and law enforcement.
On Sunday night, these miners made headlines when they emerged from their hiding places. Just days later, on Thursday, the police reported the emergence of 17 miners on Wednesday, and three more on Thursday, bringing the total number of illegal miners to 20.
The 17 are said to have emerged from the Margaret Shaft, which included nationals from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, while the other three resurfaced from shaft 10 at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine.
Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, the provincial police spokesperson, said: “We can confirm that 20 illegal miners resurfaced on Wednesday. They consist of 10 Lesotho, six Zimbabwean, and four Mozambican nationals. All of the suspects are being processed. They are still being processed, and our operation continues.”
The SAPS noted that among the group, 10 hailed from Lesotho, while six were from Zimbabwe, and the remaining four were Mozambican nationals.
The situation in Stilfontein is especially concerning, as more than 300 illegal miners are currently facing charges in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court for illegal mining activities and violations of the Immigration Act.
Notably, a 19-year-old male among those arrested shared a harrowing account of his experience underground, revealing that he had been trapped for six months.
“I came down here with a friend, but when I saw what they were doing, I wanted to leave. There are snipers down there. They will beat you if you want to leave,” he stated while being processed.
The plight of young illegal miners cannot be overstated, with reports citing that approximately 96 of the over 1 000 miners who have resurfaced in the area are minors.
Many claim they were coerced into working underground by armed gangs, prompting investigations into possible exploitation.
Police and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are collaborating to trace the families of these minors and provide necessary support.
The legal proceedings for the arrested miners are ongoing, with authorities confirming that all those detained will return to court. Among them is a 14-year-old Mozambican boy, whose case will be handled in accordance with the Child Justice Act.
The Star
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