Stilfontein mine: Zama zamas who've resurfaced say unable to help police track down kingpins
Seventeen illegal miners resurfaced and were arrested on Thursday on charges of trespassing and contravening the Immigration Act.
Three illegal miners were arrested after they emerged from shaft 10 at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine in the North West on 28 November 2024. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
STILFONTEIN - Some of the illegal miners who resurfaced from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein said they can't help police track down the kingpins of the underground network.
Seventeen illegal miners resurfaced and were arrested on Thursday on charges of trespassing and contravening the Immigration Act.
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This brings the number of zama zamas sent behind bars this week to 71, while more than 1,200 in total have been arrested in North West since October as part of law enforcement’s drive to clamp down on illegal mining.
Operation Vala Umgodi has been fiercely criticised, with concerns raised that the crime will continue unchecked if the masterminds are not prosecuted.
A Mozambican teen, who was among those arrested at Shaft 10 on Thursday, said he is not privy to details about how the illicit business is run.
“I don’t know where the gold goes after we mine it. I only know about the people that run the spaza shop. After three months, they rotate. They sell us mageu, water, cooldrink, and meat.”