By Alex Patrick.
Twenty-one illegal miners resurfaced at Margaret and Buffelsfontein No 10 shafts in the last two days. It brings the count for the week (since Monday) to 47 miners arrested for illegal mining, trespassing and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The office of the provincial commissioner in the North West said in a statement on Sunday that 10 illegal miners resurfaced at Margaret Shaft on Friday and 11 resurfaced at Buffelsfontein Shaft No 10 on Sunday morning.
“All of them are still being processed and are expected to appear in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday,” the statement said.
It said the Vala Umgodi operations (close the holes) would continue throughout the festive season.
On Sunday, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) said the miners’ resurfacing was proof the zama zamas were able to exit the underground tunnels on their own.
“Their delayed emergence appears to be a tactic to evade arrest by law enforcement agencies,” it stated.
It said the notion that the miners are trapped because of police action above ground was misleading. Police had secured the area around the mine, but exit points had been established to “allow miners to surface safely and face due legal processes”.
Natjoints said the government acknowledged the presence of narratives surrounding the operation, which was why it was essential to “rely on verified information from official channels”.
It said that evidence from the surfacing miners suggested the zama zamas had access to supplies until recently, “contrary to claims that food underground ran out months ago”.
Natjoints said it could not be verified that the aid sent down the shafts was shared equally.
“Reports indicate that any supplies reaching the miners are controlled by underground syndicates, often leading to unequal distribution and exploitation,” it said.
It added that the government had not sanctioned official aid deliveries “to individuals engaged in illegal activities”.
In the lengthy statement, Natjoints said the Stilfontein rescue operation “is not as easy as it seems; it is quite complex, with the depth of the shaft playing a major role in how this operation is carried out”.
It said that, unlike the Sabie operation, where the shaft was 150 metres deep, the Stilfontein shaft was two kilometres deep, “making it a high-risk operation to undertake”.
The mine, Natjoints said, must acquire services to perform the rescue operation, which included costs that needed to be paid upfront.
It urged the miners to surface and engage with law enforcement to ensure their safety and well-being.
“Government is committed to upholding human rights and the rule of law in all its operations,” it said.