Stilfontein illegal miner rescue continues, Sabie operation complete

While Operation Vala Umgodi in Sabie concluded after three days, the Stilfontein operation continues at a steady pace, with 1,420 illegal miners surfacing since police pounced on them a month ago.

Another six illegal miners surfaced through the Margaret Water Company shaft in Stilfontein at the weekend, bringing the number of retrieved illegal miners in Stilfontein to 1,420 a month into the operation.

Since the start of Operation Vala Umgodi at the mine in the North West, where thousands of illegal miners could not surface for fear of arrest, 1,414 had come up by Friday, including eight dead bodies.

Police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh said: “On Saturday morning six more illicit miners surfaced at Margaret shaft. They were all Mozambicans. The total illicit miners who resurfaced [is] 1,420.”

In Sabie, Mpumalanga, 153 illegal miners surfaced, with three dead bodies, when illegal miners were trapped at an abandoned mine called South Mine.

Between Tuesday and Friday last week, the miners were brought to the surface with no injuries reported during the operation, Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli said.

The rescue team was made up of stakeholders from a mining company, security companies, police, the health and home affairs departments and the South African National Defence Force, among others, Mdhluli said.

“Most of the 153 individuals brought to the surface are foreigners from Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, with some South Africans also in the group,” he said.

Ninety-five Lesotho nationals, 32 Mozambicans and 16 Zimbabweans were found to be in the country without valid documents. They will face charges relating to contravention of the Immigration Act, said Mdhluli.

Eight Lesotho nationals are charged with kidnapping and illegal mining, as well as contravention of the Immigration Act.

Illegal miners who surfaced told police they were victims of forced labour by an armed group that held them underground against their will.

“More charges could be added to these suspects as the investigation continues. The suspects will appear at the Sabie magistrate's court on Monday.”

Ten South Africans were also arrested but were released as they were among the victims allegedly forced into illegal mining, Mdhluli added.

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