As the tide of illegal mining continues to swell in Stilfontein, North West police have affirmed their commitment to bolstering security measures at the area’s abandoned mine shafts. The alarming resurgence of 1,420 illegal miners, primarily foreign nationals, has raised urgent concerns about safety and governance in the industry.
North West police spokesperson, Adéle Myburgh, reported that significant incidents have transpired over recent days. “Up until Friday, December 6, a total of 1,414 illegal miners resurfaced from various abandoned mine shafts, including the Margaret mine shaft,” she stated. The treacherous conditions of the shafts have already claimed the lives of several, with eight bodies recovered at Buffelsfontein number 11 Shaft, highlighting the dangerous environment within these mining sites.
In a distressing development, six additional illegal miners—identified as Mozambican nationals—were apprehended at the Margaret Shaft last Saturday. The current operations form part of a broader strategy, dubbed Operation Val’ Umgodi, which aims to disrupt the supply chains enabling illegal mining by cutting off food and water resources to those underground.
The situation has drawn pointed criticism from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which argues that it is the government’s failings that have exacerbated this crisis. AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa lamented the dire circumstances surrounding illegal mining, calling it a deep-rooted national issue. He stressed that the government’s apparent negligence in adhering to mine closure protocols has facilitated the influx of so-called illegal miners into dangerous, abandoned sites.
“The government itself is lacking, or it does not have the capacity,” Mathunjwa stated. “There are regulations that dictate that any mine, once it has exhausted its mining lifespan, must be closed. There are procedures and processes that have to be followed until such time a certificate is issued.”
Beyond local miners, testimonials from Mpumalanga suggest a more sinister aspect, with some of those rescued alleging human trafficking is a hidden element fuelling this underground crisis. The exploitation of vulnerable individuals in pursuit of profit adds another layer of complexity to an already troubling situation.