Fifty-five of the more than 500 zama-zamas arrested this weekend were unable to attend court at the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court in Klerksdorp on Monday.
Sources indicated that the first group of suspects, arrested prior to the second group, was supposed to appear in court. However, the sheer number of suspects and the processing demands overwhelmed the police.
“It seems like none of the accused appeared in court today. This is because police failed to bring them,” an unnamed official from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told The Star on Monday.
Community members have expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of Operation Vala Umgodi, which successfully brought over 500 illegal miners trapped underground for months to the surface.
On Monday, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe revealed that the operation in Orkney, North West, is still ongoing.
“Operation Vala Umgodi task teams across the country are blocking all entry and exit points of disused and abandoned mines to force illegal miners to resurface. In this operation in Orkney, SAPS officers are seen confiscating food, water, alcohol, and necessities meant for illegal miners,” she stated.
Local residents are questioning the “inhumane” tactic of starving these miners to force them out of the mines.
“It is clear that the government had no proper plan for this operation. As community leaders, we are requesting immediate humanitarian intervention as well as supplies for the trapped individuals,” a concerned community leader told SABC News.
This operation follows a significant police and military-led initiative, resulting in the arrest of 565 miners as part of the ongoing efforts to tackle illegal mining activities in the region.
Reports indicate that many of these miners have been trapped underground for months, facing dire conditions without food and water.
The task force spearheading the operation successfully apprehended these individuals while they attempted to resurface from abandoned shafts, particularly in the gold-rich areas of Stilfontein and Orkney.
The operation has seen almost 600 miners exit from these perilous conditions as law enforcement intensified their activities to deter illegal mining.
Operation Vala Umgodi has been in full swing since mid-October, steadily yielding substantial results, especially over the recent weekend.
As the operation progressed, police reported a continuous influx of miners resurfacing throughout the weekend, driven by an urgent need for food and water. The strategic cut-off of food supplies by police and soldiers aimed to force these miners to emerge, highlighting the desperate circumstances they face.
Another resident of Khuma, one of the townships in Matlosana, stated that the arrest of the miners is a war against the attempts by thousands of unemployed residents of Khuma and other townships to make a living in light of the country's lack of jobs.
“The challenge in Khuma as a mining town is that our grandfathers and fathers worked in the mines. After that, those mines were closed. There is no more work for our people. Now that they have started a plan to earn a living, they are arrested,” he said.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) officials are accused of equipping illegal miners with machinery and illegal firearms.
Crime expert and forensic investigator Calvin Rafadi stated that corrupt officials from the department provide zama-zamas with essential machinery and maps for illegal mining.
The DMRE, however, denied these allegations, stating they work closely with law enforcement to curb illegal mining and encourage anyone with evidence to report it.
The Star
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