More that 1400 ‘zama-zamas’ arrested in joint operation in FState goldfields
More that 1400 illegal miners, or so-called “zama –zamas”, have been arrested in the Free State goldfields since March, Free State police said on Saturday.
Another 16 zama-zamas – 12 Zimbabweans and four Lesotho nationals – were arrested on Friday afternoon at Harmony’s Eland shaft mine in Welkom and charged with trespassing, attempted theft of gold-bearing material, and illegal immigration, Captain Stephen Thakeng said.
The 16 would appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Monday. So far, 1405 zama–zamas had been arrested since March. Sixty inquest cases had also been opened for illegal miners – mainly from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique – who had died underground.
Most of the arrested illegal miners had been found guilty and sentenced to between three months to three years in jail with options of fines from R1500 to R20,000. When the illegal miners could not afford to pay fines they served their sentence in jail and faced deportation to their respective countries, he said.
Others were charged with street mining, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possession of food or items worth millions of rand suspected to be destined for illegal miners underground. Police stores were full of these items seized in joint operations with mine security, the home affairs department, and the Matjhabeng municipality.
“We will continue with joint operations and crime intelligence has already been tasked to track down ‘king pins’ (bosses) who recruit these people from their neighbouring countries like Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe under the pretence that they will be given employment. We are winning the war on illegal mining thus far because a lot of food that amounts to millions of rand meant for zama-zamas underground continues to be seized. This gesture leads for them to come out because they cannot survive without food,” Thakeng said.
Another 22 zama-zamas arrested last week would again appear in court on Monday for bail applications.
“We would like to discourage people from been involved in illicit mining because you will be arrested, and secondly lots of people are dying while underground, because since from March this year 60 zamas died. Lastly, we would like to applaud residents of Goldfields for information they give to us which mostly led to quite a number of these arrests and seizures of zama-zamas’ food which promotes illicit mining,” Thakeng said.