Nearly 500 illegal miners due to appear in Barberton court

JOHANNESBURG - Almost 500 illegal miners brought to the surface from a mine in Barberton in Mpumalanga last Friday are set to appear at the Barberton Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The group faces charges of contravening the Immigration Act and trespassing, while others are facing charges of possession of gold-bearing material.

Their arrest follows an intense operation by law enforcement and mine security as part of Operation Vala Umgodi in the province.

The police initially estimated that 1,000 miners had been arrested but later revised that number down by half.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson. Ppho Nonyane-Mpe: "Members of the SAPS, including the team that is working there in collaboration with home affairs officials, are currently busy with the purifying the number in terms of how many will be charged for what type of offence."

Nonyane-Mpe said that an operation was underway to retrieve zama zamas that remained underground.

"The plans in terms of the others that went deep, our members from Vala Umgodi, in collaboration with the mine security and also the Department of Minerals and Energy, will regroup and also esure that we communicate whatever action will be taken following this development."