21 more ‘illegal’ miners resurface at Stilfontein shafts

A total of 21 suspected illegal miners resurfaced from various shafts in Stilfontein, North West, on Monday.

This was confirmed by police spokesperson Brig Sabata Mokgwabone in a brief statement.

“Today [Monday], 17 illegal miners resurfaced at Margaret shaft and four at No 10. Of the 21, 12 are Mozambican and nine Zimbabwean foreign nationals,” he said.

“They are still being processed and one of the four that resurfaced at No 10 shaft has been taken to hospital for medical observation.”

This comes a day after the Pretoria high court ordered several government officials, including the police and mineral resources ministers, to allow “community members, charitable organisations and interested parties” to provide humanitarian aid to the miners, also known as zama zamas, still underground at the two shafts, as well as shaft 11.

Community-based organisation Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) was granted this interim relief pending the finalisation of the main application which will be heard on Thursday.

More than 1,200 miners have resurfaced from the various shafts since August 18. They were forced to come up after Operation Vala Umgodi was mounted by police in the North West.

Police and soldiers began blocking supplies of food, water and other necessities to the illegal miners in mid-October. 

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