8 suspected illegal miners die trapped at Ga Maroga
The police were called on Saturday night and found the local community members had already dug a hole and gained access to the miners, and that they had already started retrieving their bodies.
The Driekop SAPS has opened an inquest after eight suspected zama-zamas allegedly digging for chrome near Ga-Maroga Village died when they were trapped underground on Friday.
“One South African, three Mozambicans and four Zimbabweans were allegedly busy with illegal mining activities when the water from the heavy rain that had fallen in the area, apparently pushed the soil that blocked the only point they were using for entry and exit. They apparently suffocated,” said the Limpopo SAPS’s spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafelo Mojapelo.
The police were called on Saturday night and found the local community members had already dug a hole and gained access to the miners, and that they had already started retrieving their bodies.
The Limpopo police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has warned everyone to desist from engaging in illegal mining activities, as this is unsafe and against the law.
“We have established a team to deal with illegal mining activities around the province, especially in the areas along the R37 in the Sekhukhune District Municipality, and many illegal miners have been arrested and mining equipment confiscated,” said Hadebe.
A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources, Sahlulele Luzipho, indicated that the issue of illegal mining has gone beyond Mzansi’s borders. He said it is concerning that most illegal miners operating in South Africa are illegal immigrants. He indicated this should signal the government to strengthen border security and combat illegal mining.
“There is a need for our national government to interact and engage our neighbouring states. We also need assistance from the SADC to win this battle. If you look at this matter, you’ve got only one South African, three Mozambicans and four Zimbabweans. That clearly states that the first problem we have is the borders of our country,” said Luzipho.
He said it would take some time to win the battle against illegal mining in Burgersfort. “It is not something we see resolved tomorrow, but its something we wish could be resolved as early as possible.”
