Illegal mine
Hawks clamp down on illegal mining in Limpopo
Four men were arrested on Thursday at in Burgersdorp during a joint operation between the Hawks and the national intervention unit.
The suspects were arrested yesterday at the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg
A company spokesman said the entire Cooke operation would remain closed for the rest of the week as the firm assessed the security situation.
It is believed that the men originated from neighbouring Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The police’s Lungelo Dlamini says preliminary findings show that the men may have all been killed in the same way.
The police’s Kay Makhubele says a second illegal miner remains trapped in another mine shaft in the area.
Police have confirmed shots have been fired between two rival illegal mining groups.
Ngoako Ramatlhodi says illegal mining can be prevented if disused mines are policed.
Emergency services believe the men died after inhaling harmful gasses underground.
JHB emergency services recovered the bodies of four men and one woman late last night.
Emergency services say they won't continue with rescue operations until conditions improve.
Emergency Medical Services and Mines Rescue Services are on the scene.
Police say they are doing everything they can to curb illegal mining in Gauteng.
It is believed the men died after a shaft caved in on Sunday.
Emergency services are on the scene where an exit point of an abandoned mine has collapsed.
As the miners came to the surface one-by-one, police escorted them to a nearby police van.
One of the survivors claims a dozen miners were attacked and held hostage by a rival group.
Police say a survivor claims dozens of illegal miners were attacked in a makeshift mine.