By Everson Luhanga
- Over 1,000 illegal miners arrested in Stilfontein as ministers and police officials oversee operations; minors among the rescued zama zamas.
- In Mpumalanga, police killed three zama zamas during a gun battle, seizing weapons and ammunition.
Six more illegal miners emerged from the disused mines of Stilfontein in North West province on Friday.
Three teenagers were among dozens of zama zamas who emerged from the disused and abandoned mine shafts in Stilfontein in the North West province.
The teenagers who emerged on Thursday afternoon were among 17 dehydrated and hungry-looking miners.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo, and National Commissioner of Police Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili visited the province.
The ministers were joined by the provincial commissioner of North West, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, and the mine rescue team.
This is Mchunu’s second visit to the province this month.
So far, more than 1,000 miners have surfaced and been arrested. Several appeared in court on Thursday.
Two other incidents involving illicit mining were reported in different locations, say police.
In Mpumalanga, three illegal miners were shot dead in a gun battle with police in Sabie.
Police seized two AK-47 rifles and recovered 500 rounds of ammunition.
Police spokesman Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the shoot-out incident happened on Thursday during a routine police patrol in the vicinity of the mine.
“The miners fired shots at the police from different directions and wounded a warrant officer in his leg,” said Mdhluli
“Police returned fire, fatally wounding the three alleged miners.
A case of attempted murder is being investigated, and SAPS watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is also looking into the incident.
Unconfirmed reports suggest a rockfall has trapped several miners in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg.
Stories of zama zamas in Krugersdorp are not new. This is the area where a gang of Zama Zamas gang-raped eight women who were filming a music video.
In November 2022, 21 zama zamas drowned in a Krugersdorp mine.
Pictured above: A crane assists the recovery operations at Stilfontein mine.
Source: X
