Latest News & Developments
More than five months after Operation Vala Umgodi in Stilfontein, police confirm 156 cases involving 1 831 suspects remain pending. While over 1 000 miners have been found guilty on charges ranging from illegal mining to immigration violations, human rights organisations argue these are 'crimes of poverty' that could be resolved through proper regulation of abandoned mines.
Macua has made submissions to the South African Human Rights Commission ahead of the national inquiry into illegal mining.
Operation Vala Umgodi leads to significant arrests of undocumented foreign nationals involved in illegal mining, showcasing the ongoing efforts to combat crime in the North West.
The Hawks raided a property in Walkerville, Gauteng, and found seven individuals, five of them identified as Zimbabwean nationals, processing gold-bearing material.
Tension escalates in Kuruman as PP Gemstones has accused industry giant Assmang of illegal operations.
South Africa's mining industry faces a crisis, with over 6,000 abandoned mines posing safety risks and economic challenges for communities. Explore the implications of these derelict sites and the urgent need for action.
Police arrest 33 illegal immigrants, including five women, during a crackdown on illegal mining in Mpumalanga, seizing significant mining equipment and highlighting ongoing issues with illegal immigration and mining activities.
In a dangerous clash at a Bethal mine, three suspects have been arrested after a perilous shoot-out with security officers.
A body, thought to that of a Lesotho national involved in illegal mining activities, was found by Limpopo police in a shallow grave at Zwartkrans Mine near Makapan's Valley, in Mokopane, Limpopo.
Six suspects have been arrested in Barberton for possessing explosives believed to be linked to illegal mining activities.
Four suspects, including three Zimbabweans and one Mozambican, were arrested in Limpopo after police uncovered an illegal gold processing laboratory.
Four police officers have been arrested on charges of aiding the escape of Stilfontein kingpin Neo James Tiger Tshwaeli, raising serious concerns about police corruption in the region.
In Stilfontein, the government’s crackdown on illegal mining was meant to restore order. But for residents like Rita de Sonsa, the absence of the miners has brought economic despair and uncertainty. As businesses crumble and hunger rises, the community is left questioning whether the crackdown did more harm than good.
Authorities are under scrutiny after the escape of alleged illegal mining kingpin James Neo Tshoaeli, with investigations underway into police involvement and accountability.
South Africa grapples with a legacy of mining disasters, calling for urgent reforms to ensure worker safety.
A deadly shoot-out erupted between metro police and a group of illegal miners in Germiston during a crackdown on illicit mining activities. One suspect was killed, and another was rushed to the hospital with injuries.
The illegal miner said the idea of eating human flesh started as a joke among those trapped underground. But as time marched on, it proved prophetic in the end.
Stilfontein Crisis Committee is contemplating charging the government with murder following the discovery of over 70 miners.
Minister Gwede Mantashe has called for intensified efforts to combat illegal mining, describing it as a crime against the economy. Over 240 illegal miners have been arrested in Stilfontein’s ongoing rescue operations.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said from the illegal miners, 128 were are from Mozambique, 80 are Zimbabweans, and five South Africans.
How can one rationalise punishing miners in such a manner—miners who, in many cases, are themselves economic refugees from within South Africa who are dispossessed in their own land.
The death toll has risen to 51 with the nationalities of those who have died in the bowels of the earth not specified.
Police said since the rescue missions resumed, 82 have been arrested and they are facing charges of illegal mining, trespassing, and contravention of the immigration act charges.
The illegal miners holed up underground also requested cleaning materials and detergents, imphepho and food.
During the operation, police recovered two firearms, one with its serial number defaced and another with an intact serial number, along with 12 rounds of ammunition.