106 illegal miners rescued, arrested in Stilfontein
At least 106 suspected illegal miners have been arrested in an ongoing operation in Stilfontein in the North West Province.
Last week, the High Court in Pretoria ordered the immediate rescue of the zama zamas, which began on Monday.
The abandoned gold mine has been under police siege since last year under operation Vala Umgodi.
Lawyers have reported that hundreds of illegal miners have died at shaft 11, mostly due to starvation.
READ: Stilfontein deaths labelled a ‘massacre' as rescue starts
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says Tuesday’s operations led to the retrieval of 51 bodies.
"Of those arrested 67 are Mozambiquans, 26 are Basotho nationals, 11 are Zimbabweans and two are South Africans.
Mathe says since August, over 1,576 illegal miners were arrested.
"1,040 are still in custody, 121 illegal miners have been deported, 46 have been found guilty of illegal mining, trespassing and contravening the Immigration Act."
