While the police are working to remove illegal miners from a mine shaft in Mpumalanga, the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) organisation has called on them to tread carefully to avoid a repeat of the mass deaths at the Stilfontein mine in the North West, where a police operation ended in January after a months-long standoff.
The police have arrested 494 illegal miners at the Sheba mine in Barberton and at least 500 more are believed to be hiding in the mine to avoid arrest.
Macua, which represents and advances the rights and interests of mine-affected communities, warned against a repeat of the Stilfontein operation, where more than 1,500 miners refused to come out of the mine because police were waiting to arrest them, while allegedly blocking food supplies from reaching them. It took weeks for the miners to surface and more than 90 bodies were later retrieved from the mine.
“In Mpumalanga, we do not yet know the full facts of the situation or whether miners have safe options to exit,” Macua said in a statement. “But the blockade of supplies and mass arrests under Operation Vala Umgodi raise a critical alarm. If those underground cannot leave safely, the state must tread carefully, lest it repeats the same heinous mistake with lethal consequences.”
The police said their operation started on Monday last week after they were alerted by the mine that about 1,000 illegal miners were underground. Only 494 surfaced and were arrested, but others are refusing to come out.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli said the police had not seen anyone trying to send food down to the miners.
He said the arrested suspects had been charged with the illegal possession of gold-bearing materials and being in the country without valid documents.
“Most of the miners, if not all, are foreign nationals without valid documentation to be in the country. It was also discovered that some of these miners could be underage, hence police are working with officials from the department of home affairs, [the] department of minerals & energy, the National Prosecuting Authority, as well as other law enforcement agencies.
“We know and understand that about 400 of the illegal miners have refused to come out, but we believe they will come out as we are still stationed outside the mineshaft, aiming to devise ways to remove them,” Mdhluli said.
Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security & liaison Jackie Macie welcomed the arrests, saying it showed the government was serious about fighting crime and lawlessness.
“We welcome the efforts by the police and all role players involved in Friday’s operations. However, we also want the police to apprehend those who are behind illegal mining. Communities should refrain from accommodating zama zamas but rather report them to the police,” Macie said.
The accused are expected to appear in the Barberton magistrate’s court on Monday.
TimesLIVE
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