STILFONTEIN - Over 1,000 illegal miners have resurfaced from abandoned old shafts in Stilfontein and Orkney in the North West.
This after SAPS and the army’s Operation Vala Mgodi cut off their food supply, forcing the miners to the surface where they were subsequently arrested.
An unknown number of illegal miners remain underground.
The miners face a vicious cycle, starting with their recruitment, their deployment underground where they dig for minerals while being periodically supplied with food, and finally, the trade in minerals.
The overriding question as to who is running these syndicates remains unanswered.
In this joint operation, over 1000 illegal miners have been arrested in Stilfontein.
Many of them are muddy and dirty after being underground for months and some for years.
Some are youths, including 14 and 17-year-olds.
Many find themselves trapped in this work after being promised jobs or allegedly being trafficked and forced to go underground.
Some of those arrested appeared before Stilfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Charges have been withdrawn against them, but others are expected to appear before the court this week.
At the same time, concerned community members who disagree with the operation are engaging with the Human Rights Commission, seeking intervention.
This, following claims that dozens of illegal miners have allegedly died underground following the cutting off of their food supplies. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold as the number of miners remaining underground is still unknown.