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Police seen at Shaft 11 in Stilfontein, North West.
Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe says illegal mining is a war on the economy.
He was speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria, on the Mines Health and Safety statistics for 2024.
Over 1 900 illegal miners were retrieved from a disused mine in Stilfontein in the North West in the past weeks.
This after the SAPS launched its crackdown operation, Vala Umgodi at the mine in August last year.
Mantashe says illegal mining still remains a criminal activity.
“There can be no two ways about it, it is criminals attacking the economy. Precious metals illicit trade is estimated in 2024 to about R60-billion. That R60-billion is a leakage on the value of the economy of the country. It’s a serious criminal activity and we support operation Vala Umgodi.”
VIDEO | 2024 Mine Health and Safety Statistics:
