A 14-year-old boy was among the group of 14 illegal miners who were detained by police after they emerged from the disused mines at Stilfontein in North West, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Monday.
The illegal miners, colloquially known as zama zamas, have been holed up underground for months following the arrival of police as part of Operation Vala Umgodi.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the 14 illegal miners who emerged on Sunday night are all Mozambicans.
“A total of 14 illegal miners resurfaced last night (Sunday). They are all Mozambicans and are all in police cells. Operations continue. Among them is a 14-year-old boy,” said Mathe.
“They have confirmed what police have always been saying, that firstly, there is no one trapped, and that there are 10 heavily armed Basotho nationals (people from Lesotho) who are guarding them and making them dig for gold.”
Mathe said the illegal miners have told police that they were not allowed to eat and drink water that was sent down the mine shaft.
“They claim the food and water that was taken down was all confiscated by these Basotho guards and none of them were allowed to eat or drink. They are instead forced to work for the food and water,” she said.
In an earlier update around midnight on Sunday, Mathe said 11 men had emerged from the shaft, and the SAPS said this proves that the illegal miners are not trapped underground.
“Eleven illegal miners just got out at shaft 10 which is linked to shaft 11 - proving that they are not trapped - they just refuse to resurface. They chose to come out late at night, thinking police are no more standing static,” said Mathe.
“Others ran back into the shaft as soon as they noticed the police presence.”
Last week, police say extortionists are demanding part of the money allocated for specialists to retrieve the Stilfontein illegal miners who are underground.
Extortionists have made demands for some of the money set aside for the extensive operation being set up to extract the illegal miners.
Groundwork is being done by specialist mine rescue workers, using heavy machinery to set up their operation to rescue the zama zamas.
However, North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone told journalists at the site that the operation to rescue the trapped illegal miners – said to be in their thousands - has been targeted by extortionists.
“We are happy with what is happening, we are still maintaining that we are working with community leaders, but it is a unfortunate that we seem to be experiencing a bit of a challenge, but this is something we will deal with as the police.
“As you know, we had contractors working here, clearing the site and doing whatever that needed to be done. We are aware that some or one of the people that were here yesterday demanded something like 30 percent, meaning that we are starting to see issues relating to extortion,” said Mokgwabone.
The rescue operation was initiated after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu visited the area.
IOL