They were arrested in an operation targeting illicit mining activities at Buffelsdoorn near Stilfontein. The suspects are facing charges linked to illegal mining, gold-bearing material and immigration offences.

A multidisciplinary team carried out a planned disruptive operation at the identified mining site on Thursday. North West Hawks spokesperson WO Nkosinathi Ndlovu said officers allegedly found eleven suspects, 18 to 29, at the site during the operation and subsequently placed them under arrest.

Police seized mining equipment including wheelbarrows, generators, cellphones, explosives and water pumps. Gold-bearing material estimated to be worth about R8,000 was also recovered. The men were charged with illegal mining, possession of gold-bearing material and contravention of the Immigration Act ahead of Monday’s court appearance.

Illegal mining in Stilfontein previously made national headlines after a major operation resulted in 1,831 illegal miners emerging or being brought to the surface. The vast majority, reportedly 99%, were undocumented foreign nationals from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Lesotho, with a small number from Pakistan.

The same operation also resulted in the recovery of 78 bodies from disused underground shafts. Then North West community safety and transport MEC Wessels Morweng pointed to the infamous “Three Thousand Vertical Dark Margaret” and Shaft 11 as examples of the scale and dangers of illegal mining in the Stilfontein area.

He said the rubble of broken concrete slabs around the entrance to the “Three Thousand Vertical Dark Margaret” and Shaft 11 showed the site had previously been rehabilitated. The Stilfontein operation was jointly funded at an estimated cost of R8 million by the department of mineral resources and a Klerksdorp-based mining company.

Meanwhile, Bapong village near Brits has also emerged as an illegal mining hotspot. Residents have raised concerns about suspected illegal miners allegedly digging dangerously close to homes. Messages circulating on social media have also highlighted growing fears about the possible effect of illegal mining activities on residents and infrastructure in the community.

Earlier this year, president Cyril Ramaphosa deployed members of the South African National Defence Force to assist law-enforcement agencies in tackling criminality and illegal mining in identified hotspots. The deployment formed part of broader efforts to support operations against organised illegal mining activities and related crimes in affected parts of the country.

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