Suspected illegal miners appear in Barberton court
A group of 24 suspected illegal miners resurfaced at the Sheba Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on Monday.
The group adds to the nearly 500 illegal miners who were arrested last Friday.
The first group began appearing in the Barberton Magistrate's Court on Monday, facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act and trespassing.
Others are facing additional charges of possessing gold-bearing material.
Spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga, Donald Mdluli, said the suspected illegal miners who were arrested on Monday were found with unlicensed firearms and live ammunition.
“There will be additional charges when one is found illegally with a firearm, and that will be a charge laid against the person found (with the firearm). So, with the rest, it will depend on what they found,” said Mdluli.
He also confirmed that some of the suspects are South African citizens.
“There are those coming from Zimbabwe, the majority coming from Mozambique, there are also those coming from Swaziland, as well as others from Lesotho.”
Mdluli said Operation Vala Umgodi, which targets illegal mining activities, will continue searching for more suspects, even though the mining company denied any more people were underground.
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