Police in Mpumalanga have arrested close to a thousand illegal miners at the Sheba Gold Mine in Barberton. Most of the arrested illegal miners are undocumented foreign nationals.
The zama-zamas were arrested during a police led raid titled Operation Vala Umgodi.
The operation is aimed at combating illegal mining activities.
Provincial Police Spokesperson Donald Mdhluli says the arrested miners will be charged with contravention of the Immigration Act.
“The mine is operational. So, they realized it seems as if there are people who are illegally mining in this area. Hence they then carried out this operation, which today has resulted in this breakthrough where approximately 1000 people that were mining underground, illegally so, have been brought up. So, they will be charged for contravention of Immigration ACT and they will also be possibly charged for illegal mining,” says Mdhluli.
Operation Vala umgodi | About 1,000 suspected illegal miners arrsted in Barberton:
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