150 illegal miners to appear in South African court

This week, 150 illegal miners who were rescued from an abandoned gold mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa, are set to appear in court this month as part of the country’s ongoing crackdown on illegal mining under the “Vala Umgodi” operation, which means close the holes.

Over the past year, more than 12,000 illegal miners have been arrested in the nationwide campaign in an effort to combat the illegal mining trade, local media reported.

Since October, authorities have rescued over 1,400 illegal miners from various mines near Stilfontein, including more than 900 Mozambicans, 400 Zimbabweans, and recovered a dozen bodies.

People from Mozambique and Zimbabwe engage in illegal mining in South Africa due to extreme poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunities in their home countries.

South Africa’s gold-rich mines offer the potential for significant earnings, especially with its stronger currency.

As a part of the operation, backed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, supplies of food and water are cut off to miners to force them out—a move South Africa’s High Court calls illegal.

The illegal miners were rescued in a three-day operation with help from the police, South African National Defence Force and private security personnel.

Emergency health personnel provided the illegal miners medical assistance while Home Affairs officials processed them before they were whisked off to police holding cells.

According to some of the rescued miners, armed men forced them into the shaft. The police said they will collect evidence before the shaft is closed, according to SABC News.

Digging for gold

Over the weekend, the quiet forest town of Sabie in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province was thrown into commotion when police discovered four men attempting to escape through the area.

The men claimed they had escaped from an abandoned mine, saying there were more than 150 illegal miners trapped underground.

Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson Donald Mdluli confirmed that all the foreign nationals rescued from the mine were undocumented. These included men from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, and a few local South Africans.

Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi said the investigation into the illegal mining activities is being carried out to ensure that justice is served.

“We plead with everyone to allow this team a space to conduct their investigation without being distracted and the public will be notified in due course. Meanwhile, Operation Vala Umgodi will continue to be active to curb illegal mining activities in the province," he added.

The rescue operation proved to be an arduous task. Speaking to a local news outlet, Jason Potgiter of the SAPS Rescue Team described the difficulties.

“We've been here on site for the last couple of days and a big problem we have here or the biggest challenge we have here is that there are more than 150 people underground. That means we have to pull them up one by one by hand, which takes a lot of manpower,” he explained.

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola identified Mpumalanga as one of the seven provinces flagged as hotspots for illegal mining activities.

Abandoned mines: A looming crisis

South Africa is home to approximately 6,000 abandoned mines, many of which remain improperly sealed, according to the Benchmarks Foundation. These open shafts provide easy access for illegal miners, while the lack of post-mining economic planning leaves surrounding communities in economic despair.

The current crisis is part of a broader, decades-long struggle with illegal mining in South Africa. While mining has historically been the backbone of the nation’s economy, the closure of major operations has left thousands of abandoned mines in its wake, creating fertile ground for illicit activities.

Last year, a gas explosion at an abandoned mine in the Free State province claimed the lives of 31 miners. In another incident, shootouts involving illegal miners left local communities gripped with fear.