Fourteen 14 illegal miners were arrested yesterday after they emerged from the disused mines in Stilfontein in the North West, where they had been holed up for months following the arrival of police as part of Operation Vala Umgodi.

The illegal miners resurfaced at night under the impression that police were not standing guard. Some ran back into the shaft as soon as they noticed the police.

According to the police, all of those arrested are Mozambican nationals, and a 14-year-old boy is among them.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says the illegal miners resurfaced near a shaft from which other illegal miners have been resurfacing. This proves they are not trapped, but simply refusing to resurface, she adds.

Mathe says the illegal miners confirmed that heavily armed men are guarding them and forcing them to dig for gold.

“They told us the food and water that has been sent down was confiscated by the heavily armed men and not given to the miners. They are keeping it for themselves because they want to continue illegal mining operations,” she says.

Mathe says police operations continue.

More than 1 000 illegal miners have resurfaced in recent weeks. – SAnews.gov.za