The illegal mining thread

Fortunately new mine closure regulations will go a long way to mitigate this including long-term environmental impacts.

I doubt any mine in SA will receive a mine closure certificate.
 
9 more bodies found in Welkom mine

Bloemfontein – The decomposing bodies of nine illegal miners were found underground in Bambanani West shaft mine in Welkom, bringing the number of bodies recovered to 12, Free State police said.

The nine bodies were found on Sunday afternoon with name tags on them, and three were found on Tuesday, Captain Stephen Thakeng said.

The deceased were believed to be from Lesotho.

Between April and May, police recovered the bodies of 11 illegal miners in Harmony Gold's Eland shaft in Welkom.

There was a piece of paper on each of the bodies with the individual's name written on it.

"We are still monitoring the situation and working together with mine security and crime intelligence has also been engaged to closely monitor," said Thakeng.

An inquest docket has been opened.

News24
Link: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/9-more-bodies-found-in-welkom-mine-20160711
 
Zama zamas nabbed in ‘major’ operation targeting illegal mining

Zama zamas nabbed in ‘major’ operation targeting illegal mining
This team, consisting of the Boksburg police, community patrollers, DTF Security and Amapogo Protection Services, pounced on seven Basotho men, reportedly involved in illegal mining in the goldfield, along Cason Road, on July 14.

The almost two-hour long joint crime operation by the Boksburg police, community patrollers, DTF Security and Amapogo Protection Services targeted illegal miners in the Cason area at a goldfield, on Thursday morning, July 14.

The groups of illegal miners, known as zama zamas, ran helter-skelter as the team was approaching their workplace, along Cason Road, but the patrollers and officers pursued them down the field – and managed to arrest seven of them.
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More at: http://boksburgadvertiser.co.za/272384/zama-zamas-nabbed-in-major-operation-against-illegal-mining/
 
My imagination or are the majority of illegal miners from Lesotho?
 
ambroseg1 said:
My imagination or are the majority of illegal miners from Lesotho?
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Dunno, but I will say the most nerve wracking patrols we do are the ones when we have to go into zama-zama territory. Thos okes are wild and crazy and usually armed.
 
70 illegal miners arrested in Welkom

Welkom – Seventy illegal miners, all foreigners, will appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of attempted theft of gold bearing material, trespassing, and immigration laws, Free State police said.

Mine security called the Welkom police to inform them about illegal miners coming out from underground in the Eland shaft mine in Welkom on Friday, Captain Stephen Thakeng said.

After arriving at the scene, police arrested 70 illegal miners, commonly known as “zama-zamas”, with the assistance of mine security officers.

The miners were apparently trying to escape from methane gas underground. The men were all from Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
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More at: http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/70-illegal-miners-arrested-in-welkom-2059268
 
Illegal miner found dead in Riverlea

Johannesburg - An illegal miner was found dead at a disused shaft in Riverlea, while another is believed to be trapped underground near the old Highgate shopping centre, Gauteng police said on Friday.

Captain Kay Makhubele said the body of the miner in Riverlea was taken out by other illegal miners on Thursday afternoon.

The other illegal miner was apparently trapped underground at a mine shaft at the corner of Commando and Main Reef roads, near the railway line on Friday morning.

"It is believed that another one is trapped there this morning. We are heading there now," Makhubele said.


In September, more than 15 miners were trapped in a disused shaft in Langlaagte.

Only eight returned to the surface at first, leaving seven underground.

A few days later, another three came out, while a fourth made his way out a day later.

The mine rescue services found two of the remaining volunteers - one was dead and the other, who was in a critical condition, was taken to Helen Joseph Hospital.

Twenty-two volunteer rescuers later retrieved the bodies of the last two miners that were still trapped underground at the Langlaagte mine.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/illegal-miner-found-dead-in-riverlea-20161111
 
Long sentences for Free State illegal miners

Bloemfontein - A group of more than twenty illegal miners in the Free State were given long prison sentences in the Virginia Circuit Court on Tuesday.

The men and one woman were convicted on 577 charges that include racketeering, money laundering, the contravention of the Precious Metals Act and the Criminal Procedure Act.

They were also charged with trespassing and violating the Immigration Act as well as the theft of gold-bearing material worth more than R120m.

The State's effort to secure guilty verdicts on charges pertaining to illegal miner syndicates, the smuggling of gold-bearing material and money laundering is hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining.

Lovemore Mlambo, 35, the man believed to be the syndicate leader will serve an effective 25 years in prison. Another illegal miner Simon Cremora, 38, will serve 23 years.

The rest of the illegal miners were sentenced to between 20 and 22 years in prison.

Judge Soma Naidoo ordered that the sentences of all the accused run concurrently.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Philani Nkwalase said the matter relates to the arrest of illegal miners at the Masimong Mine in Welkom in April 2014 for illegal mining operations that started two years earlier.

The miners were arrested during underground operations by mine security personnel and the Hawks. It was alleged that during the underground clashes between security personnel and police the illegal miners set off explosives to foil the security personnel's efforts to catch them.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/long-sentences-for-free-state-illegal-miners-20170314
 
Update: 24 bodies pulled from Free State mine

This follows an apparent explosion underground on Thursday the 11 May 2017.’

The search for more miners continues in a Welkom mine after 24 bodies were retrieved, Free State police said on Tuesday.

“Thirteen more bodies have been retrieved, which brings the number to 24. The mine’s security company is busy retrieving the bodies. At this time we have no idea who the people are. Some have name tags on so in some cases we have names,” police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said.

“We are not sure how many people are trapped inside but they [the mine] expect that there could be more. For now the search continues.”

She said the police were investigating the deaths of 24 people and have opened an inquest case.

At around 10am on Monday, the mine security informed the police of the bodies that had been retrieved underground from the Eland Shaft mine in Welkom, Mbambo said.

“This follows an apparent explosion underground on Thursday the 11 May 2017,” Mbambo said.
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More at: http://citizen.co.za/news/news-national/1516033/11-bodies-pulled-free-state-mine/
 
Cops seize 200 bags of gold dust after arrest of zama zamas

Johannesburg - Police have seized about 200 bags of gold dust in Rosettenville.

Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers stumbled across the bags while patrolling the area on Wednesday.

JMPD deputy director Faith Lekgwathi told The Star that the police were doing their normal patrol duties when they spotted the illegal miners, and called for back-up.

Several dug holes with shovels in them were found at the site, alongside bags containing gold dust.

Themba Selonga, one of the illegal miners at the scene when other zama zamas were apprehended, said there was nothing wrong with illegal mining activity, as they were doing it to make a living.

Selonga said it had been a month since he started mining illegally at the dump site.

“There is nothing wrong that I am doing. As you see me standing here and telling you about this operation, the police should not arrest me as I am only making a living for myself and my family,” he told The Star shortly before he was arrested.

Selonga said he used to work at the mines and lost his job, which led him to resort to illegal mining. He explained that he trod carefully and avoided going deeper into the mine to avoid the danger inside.

“I dig up to one metre of the hole, and start pouring the soil into my bags that I will later mix with water that will leave the small pieces of gold dust,” he said.
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More at: http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...gold-dust-after-arrest-of-zama-zamas-10019873
 
Mine security guard arrested with zama zamas

Johannesburg – Six suspects were arrested for corruption, theft, possession of, and illegal dealing in, gold in the mining town of Randfontein, west of Johannesburg, Hawks said on Thursday.

The men, aged between 24 and 35, were arrested just before midnight by the Hawks following a tip-off.

Among those arrested was a mine security guard, who had allegedly taken bribes from the illegal miners. He was found in possession of a large amount of cash, which the Hawks believe was paid to him by the other suspects. The money was also seized.

The guard allegedly offered protection to the "zama zamas", and promised to remain silent about their activities underground, a statement from the Hawks read.

The suspects had allegedly been underground since November 2016 at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu Gold Mine in Randfontein, and were making their way out of the mine when they were apprehended, said the Hawks Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso.

The mine is said to employ about 4 500 workers. It has been plagued with labour violence and strikes. The latest strike came to an end on April 2017 after workers downed tools on March 23 in response to disciplinary action taken against some 40 employees.

Rikhotso said that an investigation into illegal mining at the mine had been fruitful, helping them seize up to R150 000 in gold material, and just over R70 000 in cash. The investigation began in April 2017.

The six are due to appear at the Carletonvile Magistrate's Court on Friday.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/mine-security-guard-arrested-with-zama-zamas-20170706
 
Alleged illegal mining kingpins nabbed in Limpopo sting

Burgersfort - Limpopo police achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining when two alleged kingpins were arrested by members the police organised crime unit on Friday night, Limpopo police said.

The two suspects, aged 40 and 62, where arrested after sterling detective work launched immediately after the initial and subsequent arrests of nine suspects. The duo were from Pretoria and Rustenburg respectively, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said on Saturday.

On May 25, a high density operation comprising of officials from the mineral resources department and the South African Police Service (SAPS) was conducted along the R37 between Lebowakgomo and Burgersfort, covering all identified sites in both clusters, Mojapelo said.
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More at: http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-cou...ing-kingpins-nabbed-in-limpopo-sting-10415492
 
Thirty-six suspects arrested after raid on illegal mining operations

Thirty-four suspected undocumented immigrants will appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after they were arrested during a raid on illegal mining operations.

Two others arrested after the raid in Matholeville‚ Johannesburg‚ on Wednesday have been charged with possession of explosives and selling alcohol without a liquor licence.

Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Laing said 56 tubes of explosives used for the illegal activities were found in the area.

“At least 22 buckets of 20 litres containing gold concentrate and another 32 buckets of 25 litres were seized‚ and four-wheeled rubbish bins‚ together with 66 bags containing the gold concentrate. Amongst the many things taken were 56 ‘phenduka’ tools and 116 iron balls used to crush the gold inside the tool. Amongst the seized items was 36 stamper pots used for crushing the rocks‚” he said.

Laing said 225 shacks with illegal electrical connections were disconnected from the grid‚ while 1800kg of cables were confiscated.

“City Water also cut six illegal water connections from the Jo’burg main pipeline. Four shacks used for the illegal operation were demolished‚” he said.
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More at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/so...sted-after-raid-on-illegal-mining-operations/
 
Informal miners demand legalisation of their work

Hundreds of informal miners, known as zama-zamas, marched to the Department of Mineral Resources in Pretoria on Tuesday. The miners, who mostly work in abandoned mine shafts and dumps, demanded the legalisation of their trade and the scrapping of the Mining Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).

Their memorandum argued that the ban on informal mining in the MPRDA stops them from making an honest living. They come from communities where unemployment is rampant especially among young people. Harassment by mining security and police were two major complaints raised by the demonstrators.

The zama-zamas mobilised under the banner of Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), an organisation formed in 2012 with the aim of uniting communities affected by large scale mining operations on their land.

Meshack Mbangula, the national Organiser for MACUA, addressed the protesters outside the gates of the Department of Mineral Resources which were closed and protected by a line of police. “Our minerals are owned by so called investors whose sole aim is to maximise profits and leave the people poor,” said Mbangula. He said that when communities who lived on the land try to get some of the minerals they were labelled illega
l.
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More at: http://www.groundup.org.za/article/informal-miners-demand-legalisation-their-work/
 
Ummm Meshack you blithering idiot, you can and SHOULD be told you're engaging in illegal activity if you are mining in an area where a license has been granted to a company for those mineral rights, and you don't have the license and are not following any of the legally required safety protocols.
 
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