More than 1 400 illegal miners have surfaced in Stilfontein

A disused shaft

1 minute

Police in North West say a total of 1 420 illegal miners have emerged from underground at different disused mine shafts in Stilfontein area.

#sapsNW The National Police Commissioner, Gen Fannie Masemola visited the Buffelsfontein shaft 1, close to Stilfontein and addressed members of the media on Thursday, 05/12. #IllegalMining ME pic.twitter.com/a1vJHRRA9x

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) December 6, 2024

This has been happening since the beginning of November, when police started guarding all the disused mine shafts in the area.

Police spokesperson in North West Colonel Adele Myburgh says “Up until Friday, a total of 1414 illegal miners resurfaced at various abandoned mine shafts and Margaret mine shaft in Stilfontein. Eight bodies in total were recovered at Buffelsfontein nr 11 Shaft. On Saturday morning, six more illicit miners surfaced at Margaret shaft. They were all Mozambican foreign nationals. The total illicit miners who resurfaced are 1420.”

#sapsNW [UPDATE] Six illegal miners resurfaced at Shaft No. 10 Buffels in Stilfontein in the early hours of Friday morning, 06 December 2024. The illegal miners are all Mozambican foreign nationals and are currently being processed. Meanwhile, the Vala Umgodi operation… pic.twitter.com/SizScpySdK

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) December 6, 2024