The police and rescue teams have rescued 26 more illegal miners who were trapped at an abandoned mine shaft in Sabie, Mpumalanga, and arrested them. This brings the number of the zama zamas who have been rescued to 33, including the six who were rescued yesterday. Three died and their bodies have since been retrieved.

MORE RESOURCES NEEDED TO RESCUE TRAPPED MINERS

National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, visited the scene earlier today, where about 150 illegal miners have been trapped underground, struggling to exit the abandoned shaft since Tuesday. Masemola said that, according to information from those who have resurfaced, unlike in Stilfontein, where the miners are two kilometres from the surface, in Sabie, it is only 150 meters down. "We will need more resources to retrieve the trapped illegal miners. At this stage, we are looking at what can be done and which resources are needed to save the lives," Masemola said. He added that the loss of life is regretted. "This further demonstrates that illegal mining is not only hazardous and poses a challenge for neighbouring communities but also carries a lot of danger for those partaking," he said.

AMMUNITION RECOVERED DURING OPERATION VALA MGODI 

The police commissioner said that from December 2023 to date, the police seized more than 427 high-calibre firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition from illegal mining operations. "During the same period, we have arrested 15,000 illegal miners. It is clear that illegal miners are often heavily armed and will go to great lengths to continue with their illicit mining activities," he said. Masemola added that Mpumalanga is one of the seven provinces identified as hot spots for illegal mining.

POLICE AWAITING POSTMORTEM RESULTS OF DEAD MINERS IN STILFONTEIN 

Meanwhile, the commissioner visited Stilfontein this afternoon where in the last 24 hours six bodies were retrieved from underground. He said that they are still waiting for postmortem reports to confirm the cause of the deaths of the illegal miners. "At least 26 illegal miners resurfaced from various shafts in the last two days; to date 1,387 miners have resurfaced since the rescue mission started," he said. Those arrested include 919 Mozambican nationals, 383 Zimbabweans, 65 Basotho nationals and 13 South Africans. Masemola said the SAPS is still of the firm view that providing food and necessities to the illegal miners underground defeats the purpose of Operation Vala Mgodi and such provision will only encourage the continuation of illicit mining activities underground.