South African police announced on Tuesday that they have detained 269 illegal miners who emerged from a disused gold mine after security forces severed their food and water supplies. This latest operation adds to the 565 miners arrested over the weekend, bringing the total number of arrests to 834 in Stilfontein, located about 140 kilometres (90 miles) southwest of Johannesburg.
According to police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone, the crackdown targeted those locally known as “zama zamas,” or “those who try” in Zulu, who have long been a source of frustration for mining companies and residents due to their clandestine operations.
The police operation is still active, with more miners expected to surface. Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, revealed that since December 2023, over 13,691 suspected illegal miners have been arrested across seven provinces. The authorities have also confiscated approximately five million rand (about $283,000) in cash and uncut diamonds valued at around 32 million rand (approximately $1.8 million).
Illegal mining in South Africa has drawn thousands of individuals, many from other countries, who endure harsh conditions while seeking opportunities in the nation’s mineral-rich landscape.
