By Lerato Mpembe
In the early hours of Monday, 25 November 2024, fourteen illegal miners, including a 14-year-old boy, emerged from the old Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province. This development is part of the ongoing Operation Vala Umgodi, a police initiative aimed at dismantling illegal mining activities in the region.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that all fourteen individuals are Mozambican nationals and are currently in police custody. The miners reported that heavily armed men had been holding other illegal miners hostage underground, preventing them from resurfacing. 
The resurfacing miners revealed that their superiors had threatened them with arrest if they attempted to come to the surface. However, due to severe hunger and dehydration, they chose to emerge, preferring arrest over the harsh conditions underground. One miner recounted being recruited under false pretenses, believing there was legitimate employment in the area, only to find himself coerced into illegal mining operations. 
Operation Vala Umgodi, which began earlier this month, has intensified efforts to shut down illegal mining networks in the North West. A newly appointed task team, including mine rescue experts, has been working to retrieve illegal miners from Shaft 11. To date, over 1,000 illegal miners have been arrested as part of this operation. 
The situation remains complex, with reports indicating that some miners, upon noticing police presence, have retreated back into the shafts to avoid arrest. Authorities continue to monitor the area and are urging all remaining illegal miners to resurface voluntarily. 
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