The illegal mining thread

Five bodies found at Benoni mine shaft

Johannesburg - The bodies of five men were found at an old mine shaft in Benoni, on the East Rand, on Wednesday morning, said Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale.

"It is alleged that police received information alerting them of the five bodies... further information revealed that the victims might have been killed earlier and their bodies dumped there."

She said the bodies had gunshot wounds and had yet to be identified.

"It is suspected that this might be as a result of two illegal mining groups which are warring against each other".

She said murder cases were opened and no arrests had yet been made.

News24

Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Five-bodies-found-at-Benoni-mine-shaft-20150401
 
Two illegal miners shot after pointing toy guns at police

Cape Town - A group of men alleged to be illegal miners were arrested in an RDP house in Daveyton on Sunday night , Gauteng police said.

Officers surrounded the house around 19:00 after a tip-off that the 11 men were extracting gold particles from the ground, said police spokesperson Kay Makhubele.

Two of the men allegedly pointed guns at police, which were later revealed to be toys, and officers opened fire.

He said the men were taken to hospital and were currently under police guard.

Nine others were detained at Daveyton police station.

Makhubele said the men, aged 30-52, would be appearing in the Springs Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of illegal mining and possession of mining equipment.

Jenna Etheridge, News24
Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...ot-after-pointing-toy-guns-at-police-20150412
 
Illegal mining equipment seized

Johannesburg - Ninety four pieces of mining equipment used by illegal miners was seized by Gauteng police at the weekend.

Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said in a statement that police also confiscated 11 illegal firearms, dagga worth R300 000 and a stolen vehicle, during operations in areas including Alexandra, Benoni, Boksburg, Katlehong, Orlando and Honeydew.

“The firearms will be sent for ballistic examination as it suspected that they might have been involved in serious and violent crimes in the province,” said Dlamini.

Nineteen people who were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms will appear in court on Monday.

News24 Correspondent
Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Illegal-mining-equipment-seized-20150607
 
Woman falls down illegal gold mine

A 51-year-old woman sustained serious injuries this morning after she fell down an illegal goldmine on a plantation near the White River Sabie Road, 60 Kilometres outside of Nelspruit.

ER24 paramedics, as well as SAPS Search and Rescue, were alerted to the incident and immediately responded to the plantation.

Once on scene, ER24 paramedics were shown to the illegal mine shaft where the woman had fallen into.

ER24 paramedics and SAPS began setting up their specialised rescue equipment that they would use to lower a paramedic down the 15 metre shaft. Once lowered into the shaft, they found the patient lying on her back in a serious condition. Assessments showed that the patient had sustained serious injuries and fractures to both her upper and lower legs.

Paramedics treated the patient and provided her with advanced life support treatment. Once the patient was stabilise, she was brought to the surface and loaded into an awaiting ER24 ambulance and transported to Mediclinic Nelspruit for urgent medical treatment.

Local authorities were on scene for further investigations.
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http://www.accidents.co.za/2015/07/01/woman-falls-down-illegal-gold-mine/

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ER24 paramedics, as well as SAPS Search and Rescue, were alerted to the incident and immediately responded to the plantation.
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I didn't realise that paramedics and the SAPS Search and Rescue responded to plantations.
 
Illegal miners meet deadly fate

Five illegal miners have died after being trapped underground since Thursday evening, when the 90m-deep Bosveld Mine in Pongola, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, collapsed.

It is alleged that there were 13 illegal gold miners inside the isolated mine in the hilly and dusty village of Klipwal, when it caved in.

Of the 13 miners, three were arrested for illegal mining and are scheduled to appear in court on Monday, five fled, and the remaining five were trapped and subsequently died. It appears that the miners are from Lesotho.

It's believed that the miners who fled alerted people in the village about the trapped miners they had left behind.

After a search that took just over two hours yesterday, the rescue team led by Jack Haskins, that included K9 rescue services, a dog search unit squad and medical personnel, called off their search.

Haskins said it was too dangerous to continue with the search, as the mine was riddled with cracks and rockfalls: “I can’t put my team at risk.

”After the search, the rescue team concluded that all five miners trapped were dead, as there were no human responses from a distance of about 20m. Shortly after emerging from the mine, Haskins told Independent Media: “It’s a rest in peace for them now. We can’t do anything there.”

Previously, Haskins had said they could talk to the one miner from a distance, through a barricade of rocks.

A search team member who chose not to be named said that on Friday morning they could still talk to the trapped miner, although he responded with a “fainted voice”.

“He told us that the other miners were dead. And he pleaded for help, but we couldn’t get to him.
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More at:http://www.iol.co.za/business/news/illegal-miners-meet-deadly-fate-2010644
 
Trapped KZN miners presumed dead, rescue called off

Durban - The brief search for illegal miners trapped underground in a disused illegal mine in Pongola has been abandoned, squashing any hopes that they might still be alive.

A rock fall at the Klipwal goldmine in Northern KwaZulu-Natal on Friday prompted a response from emergency service personnel who had initially heard mumbling coming from one of the victims.

When no more sound was heard from the mine and amidst perilous conditions, the search was called off.

The illegal miners, known as a zama-zamas, had been inside the disused mine, looking for gold.

Police spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane said that officers had responded to the scene after the shaft had collapsed on Friday.

"Empangeni Search and Rescue Unit proceeded to the area. Durban Search and Rescue Team and other units assisted but could not be able to find them," he said.

"The operation was called off on Friday due to the fact that it was not safe to carry on. It is alleged that five illegal miners who were trapped inside are believed to be dead now. The police managed to arrest three other miners who were found at the mine. They were charged for illegal mining and trespassing," he said.

Zwane said that men were understood to be illegal immigrants and had appeared in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

News24
Link: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/trapped-kzn-miners-presumed-dead-rescue-called-off-20160419
 
Mines are closed for a reason. When the mines are open and operate with serious safety regulations and provisions they strike and close the mines down. No sympathy. You know when you step into the lions' den you will be killed yet you still go in. "As die kop dom is moet die liggaam suffer"
 
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