Illegal miners arrested at New Consort
The high unemployment rate has been cited as one of the factors contributing to increased activities of unlawful mining.
Prior to 2009 unlawful mining was not viewed as a crime. Previously, illegal miners who were arrested were only charged with trespassing.
Today it is viewed as organised crime by the South African courts and is starting to rear its ugly head again in local mines.
Six alleged illegal miners, Clearance Phangisa, July Mnguni, Sizwe Mvubu, Calpharel Ntombela, Elphus Nkosi and Sika Maphanga, were apprehended by members of Fidelity Security Services at New Consort Mine in Barberton last Wednesday.
They have all been charged with theft, possession of unwrought precious metals and trespassing.
During their arrest they were allegedly found in possession of gold worth an estimated street value of R25 000.
New Consort is one of three shafts along with Fairview and Sheba, which belong to Barberton Mines.
The shafts were once severely affected by illegal miners. In 2008 several illegal mineworkers were reported to have lost their lives in Fairview.
The high unemployment rate has been cited as one of the factors contributing to increased activities of unlawful mining.
The six briefly appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The magistrate, Lucky Mhlanga. postponed their case to Tuesday (yesterday). At the time of going to print the outcome was not known.
