This group faced charges of illicit mining and contravention of the Immigration Act. Their deportation was carried out on Tuesday (7/1) by the Department of Home Affairs.

The Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court sentenced them on 31 December. The 19 undocumented foreign nationals (aged 20 to 42) included ten Basotho, four Mozambicans, and five Zimbabweans.

They were sentenced to six months imprisonment or a fine of R12,000 for illegal mining, wholly suspended for five years, provided they do not return and re-offend, and three months imprisonment or a fine of R6,000 for illegal entry into South Africa, also wholly suspended for five years under the same conditions.

The group was apprehended at the Margaret shaft in November, a site notorious for illegal mining activities.

Also in November, a larger group of 55 illegal miners and five other undocumented foreign nationals were deported. Five more illegal miners were arrested on Tuesday (7/1) after resurfacing from the Margaret shaft.

These actions bring the total number of illegal miners arrested between 18 August and 7 January to 1,567, said North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone.

OFM News previously reported charges against 55 illegal miners arrested in Stilfontein were withdrawn. The group was deported in November alongside five more undocumented foreign nationals. 

North West police have reiterated their commitment to combating illegal mining activities but acknowledge the ongoing struggle to bring the issue under control. Organisations and communities have continued to call on the government to help bring aid to illegal miners who remain underground. 

On Christmas Eve, the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria acknowledged that miners were trapped but refused to hold the state accountable or compel the police to extract them. That week, zama zamas made startling revelations when they sent out a letter revealing they were subjected to eating human flash due to the dire situation underground.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg