The police in Mpumalanga have confirmed that 36 illegal miners have been brought to the surface at a disused mine in Sabie since this morning. So far, more than 80 illegal miners who were trapped underground have been rescued and arrested since Wednesday.

LOCALS WANT DISUSED MINE SHAFTS CLOSED 

SAPS spokesperson Donald Mdhluli said those who are leading the operation indicated that they intend to finish the operation this afternoon. "I believe so far we've reached more than half of the illegal miners. The team is working at a fast pace, and we are hoping that this will be done as soon as possible. I'm aware that we are going to the weekend, but as government employees we are bound by oath and cannot abandon the operation until we've made sure that we've rescued everyone stuck underground," Mdhluli said. He added that the local communities have been demanding that they seal off the abandoned mine shafts but said they cannot close the mines because of the zama zamas underground. "Communities are pushing, but we asked them to wait so we can check to see if there is anyone still there before closing the mines, "said Mdhluli. Yesterday, after pulling out 41 illegal miners SAPS Captain Poti Potgieter, who heads the SAPS Operation Vala Umgodi rescue team, said they believe that there are still more than 100 trapped illegal miners in the shaft. "Our strategies that have helped speed up the process are the use of a rope, two-way radio, a camera and a translator." Each time the rope goes down, we send it with a video camera and then instruct them via the walkie-talkie how to fasten it around their bodies. We can watch them fasten it. Once they are done, we then pull them up," he said.

SEND THEM HOME

Thaba Chweu Local Municipality mayor Friddah Nkadimeng has emphasised that illegal miners retrieved from the disused mine shaft in Sabie should be deported to their countries of origin. "They should be sent back home as they have proven to be the reason behind some of the challenges the municipality has faced in the recent past. Our electricity is being misused and our water is polluted because of this illegal mining," said the mayor.

Nkadimeng added:"We are saying condolences to the families of the three illegal miners that have died; to those who are injured, let them go to the hospital and be under police guard, and when they feel better, they must be sent to their countries of origin."

STILFONTEIN MISSION CONTINUES 

Meanwhile, North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said six illegal miners resurfaced at Shaft No. 10 in Stilfontein in the early hours of this morning. "The illegal miners are all Mozambican foreign nationals and are currently being processed. The Vala Umgodi operation continues," he said.