A total of 225 dehydrated illegal miners were arrested after they resurfaced from an underground mine in Orkney in the North West on Saturday.
Police said the miners resurfaced from underground as result of starvation and dehydration.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said these illegal miners are believed to be part of hundreds, if not thousands of illegal miners who are stuck underground with no food, water, and necessities.
“This is because the Vala Umgodi teams led by the SAPS and SANDF are blocking routes used to deliver food and necessities to these illegal miners.”
She said just earlier this week, SAPS and members of the SANDF blocked communities in and around these abandoned mining shifts in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and necessities to these illegal miners.
“This act of stamping the authority of the state eventually forced these illegal miners to resurface.”
Police said the operation was ongoing with both the SAPS and the SANDF monitoring these old abandoned mine shafts as more and more illegal miners resurface.
The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya has commended the teams adding:
“We are closely monitoring the situation that is unfolding in the North West province, we are not backing down until all those illegal miners resurface and are arrested.”
Police said since its inception in December 2023 more than 13 691 suspects have been arrested in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining
“We have seized R5 million in cash and uncut diamonds worth R32 million through Operation Vala Umgodi,” said Lieutenant General Sibiya.
The majority of those that have been arrested are South Africans, Mozambicans, and Basotho nationals.
The SAPS said it would provide an update on other nationalities as and when more illegal miners resurface.
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