BLOEMFONTEIN – The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has expressed sadness at the deaths of two illegal miners at the Eland shaft of Harmony mine in Welkom.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu called on authorities to intensify the crackdown on unlawful mining operations.
"Mining houses should be held accountable for their failure to rehabilitate abandoned mines and for illegal activities that are claiming the lives of desperate miners who are lured to death traps by ruthless crime syndicates,” Mahlangu said.
"Someone must account as to why the slaughter field was not shut down permanently and those behind the illegal mining activities brought to book."
About 22 illegal miners were facing charges of trespassing, attempted theft of gold bearing material and illegal migration, said Free State police spokesperson Stephen Thakeng.
The miners are from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Rustenburg, Klerksdorp, Soweto, Springs, Pretoria, Bekkersdal, Evaton and Welkom.
The illegal miners were expected to appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Monday.