By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Services (SAPS) in Mpumalanga have confirmed that all 153 illegal miners have been successfully rescued at the South Mine shaft in Sabie, Mpumalanga.
The provincial police spokesperson Donald Mdhuli says the operation was running smoothly and quicker than in the previous two days hence we managed to bring a lot of them from underground.”
Mdhluli, says that investigations can begin now that all miners have been retrieved.
Earlier this week, three dead bodies were retrieved.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola provided details on a recent shoot-out between officers and armed illegal miners at the Sabie mine.
“A few metres away from the shaft, shots were fired from this place and [Saps] members did respond and picked up about 11 suspects who were armed with rifles.
“The members returned fire as they were being shot at. They say the fight lasted about 30 to 40 minutes and in that process, a member from the K9 unit was shot and injured and taken to hospital.
Since December 2023, authorities have seized over 427 high-calibre firearms and 10 000 rounds of ammunition from illegal mining sites nationwide.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu said, the illegal miners were cooperating with law enforcement to help identify the masterminds behind the illegal mining operation.
Meanwhile rescue operations at the Stilfontein mine in the North-West are ongoing as authorities work tirelessly to assist miners trapped underground.
Since the operation began on 18 August, nearly 1 387 miners have resurfaced, with six people emerging on Friday.
However, significant challenges remain as rescue teams navigate the complexities of the operation.
Masemola indicated that discussions with other government departments about securing funding for the next phase of the rescue effort are currently underway.