Over 300 suspected illegal miners appear in court
North West police working in the anti-illicit mining operation, Vala Umgodi, remained on guard at various shafts of an abandoned gold mine as more miners were expected to resurface.
More than 30 suspected miners have resurfaced since Sunday night, bringing the total number of those who emerged from underground since August to over 1,300.
According to police, the latest group emerged from Margaret Shaft around 9 am on Wednesday.
“We can confirm that 20 illegal miners resurfaced on Wednesday. They consist of 10 Lesotho, six Zimbabwean, and four Mozambican nationals. All of the suspects are being processed.”
The suspects face charges of illegal mining and contravention of the immigration act for those who are in the country illegally.
This comes amid claims by some of the miners – that they were held underground and forced to work at the abandoned mine by heavily armed men they described only as Basotho.
READ: Police arrest 14 who resurfaced from illegal mine
This has given rise to concerns of human trafficking, enslavement, and child labour after it emerged that 96 children were among those who were arrested since August.
North West Social Development MEC Sussa Dantjie gave an update on 14 children, believed to be from Mozambique, who were kept at places of safety.
“Their [the children] age estimates are being done by the Department of Health. This is an ongoing process which involves many stakeholders, including the SAPS, international social services, and government departments.
“We’ve placed these children at our temporary places of safety. The children are still to appear before the children’s court.”
Dantjie said they were handling the matter on a case-by-case basis.
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