Subscribers can listen to this article
Heightened security as illegal miners face charges at Stilfontein Magistrates Court. Photo by Morapedi Mashashe
ALLEGED kingpins of illegal mining will face the full force of the law.
The police cannot dismiss the likelihood that bodies may still be underground in the Stilfontein mine, particularly in Shaft 10.
This concern arises following the appearance of the alleged kingpins among 109 illegal miners at the Stilfontein Magistrate Court on Friday, 17 January.
Heightened security as about 130 illegal miners face charges at Stilfontein Magistrates Court. Photo by Morapedi Mashashe
However, police national spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that they are unable to disclose the names and numbers of these kingpins.
The group was apprehended between Monday, 13 January and Wednesday, 15 January, during a rescue operation where a cage was lowered underground to retrieve both individuals and bodies.
Addressing the media outside the court, Mathe added they possess sufficient evidence to prove the kingpins’ guilt.
“We have crucial evidence proving that they were the bosses underground.
“The ring leaders are accused of assault, torture, and starving illegal miners underground, Mathe said.
Heightened security as illegal miners face charges at Stilfontein Magistrates Court. Photo by Morapedi Mashashe
She said that by the end of the day, they expected all 246 illegal miners would have appeared before the court.
ALSO READ: Cop ‘killers’ appear in court!
The illegal miners appeared in a group of 10s. There was a high police presence outside the courtroom.
They are facing charges of illegal mining, contravention of section 49 of the immigration act, which is being in the country illegally, as well as trespassing.
21 was not able to appear, as they are still in hospital under police guard.
“We have eight from those 246 that will appear on a charge of being in possession of gold-bearing material. They were parts of those that were arrested from Monday and were found in possession of gold,” said Mathe.
Heightened security as illegal miners face charges at Stilfontein Magistrates Court. Photo by Morapedi Mashashe
Police have vowed not to leave the Stilfontein mine site as Operation Vala Umgodi continues across all southern provinces.
Mathe explained that concerning Stilfontein, they will only leave the site once the hole has been sealed and rehabilitated.
This is in an attempt to avoid a situation where they find themselves in the recent saga.
“We do have intelligence that as soon as police move, they will try and go back to find the gold that they had mined illegally, so we will leave that shaft and all other shafts where we are standing static once the Department of Mineral Resources & Energy
and the mine owners have sealed off all those shafts,” she added.
Mathe confirmed that the zama zamas were reluctant to surface because they had mined gold valued at millions, if not billions.
They could not bring the gold to the surface because the police were standing still, preventing their escape.
For more news and entertainment in the palm of your hand, follow our WhatsApp Channel via this link
Next on Daily Sun
Have you seen Charles?
23m ago
Show Comments ()
