Police probe Stilfontein torture claims
Police are investigating claims of kidnapping and torture made against the alleged kingpins of the illicit mining operation at the abandoned Stilfontein mine in the North West.
This after a video of a miner being assaulted, purportedly at the Buffelsfontein gold mine, where scores of suspected illegal miners have been underground since late last year, emerged late last year.
“We’re investigating allegations that there was torture and abuse after several videos showing these miners being assaulted by alleged kingpins underground surfaced. We’re also investigating allegations that the majority of them were kidnapped. They were brought here under false pretences and not given a clear picture of what is happening here,” said national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.
In December, some miners who resurfaced by climbing out of neighbouring shafts claimed they were denied food by heavily armed men they described as "Basotho".
READ MORE: 6 more ‘starved’ miners emerge in Stilfontein
Mathe said the malnourished condition of the more than 200 miners extracted by mine rescue service was concerning.
“It tells us that the tons and tons of food that was taken down doesn’t match with how they look. So, we’re investigating those particular allegations that there were some that were keeping food away from the illegal miners.”
Mathe denied claims by civic organisations that police, when executing their anti-illicit mining operations, blocked any entrance or exit at the mine. She also said police maintain that had they caved to demands that they should supply water and food to the miners, it would go against the police’s mandate to prevent and combat crime as illegal mining is against the law.
She confirmed that police were hot on the heels of the alleged masterminds behind the operation, adding that police intelligence had established that some were underground with the miners.
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