Police Minister Warns Stilfontein Residents Against Helping Illegal Miners

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has accused the Stilfontein community of exacerbating the crisis of illegal mining in the North West.

His comments come as law enforcement continues to battle to bring hundreds of illegal mine workers back to the surface at the abandoned Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.

Police Minister Visits Stilfontein

Hundreds of zama zamas, or illegal miners, are reportedly refusing to resurface from the old Buffelsfontein Gold Mine out of fear that police will shut down the underground network of tunnels and arrest them.

On Friday, Mchunu led a government delegation to Stilfontein, where he met with local authorities.

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Mchunu called on the local community to avoid aiding and abetting criminal activity by sending food and water supplies to the illegal miners.

“One of the things that is encouraging these people to stay underground is because you send water there, you send food there, there’s even alcohol. There must be order and there must be stability because disorder and instability is dangerous to all of us, including yourselves.”

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Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has vowed that law enforcement will not back down from its crackdown on illegal mining in Stilfontein.

Joined by a government delegation, Mchunu met with community leaders and a local mining forum in an attempt to bring hundreds of illegal miners back to the surface.

The operation, known as Vala Umgodi, has seen the arrests of more than 1,000 illegal miners and the recovery of uncut diamonds, cash, and unlicensed weapons.

General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions, Zwelinzima Vavi, has praised Police Minister Senzo Mchunu for his measured intervention in the standoff between illegal miners and law enforcement.

Vavi criticised Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for her tough stance, calling her “cold and arrogant” and insisting that the government would not assist the stranded miners.

Community members in Stilfontein have demonstrated in support of the illegal miners, carrying placards with messages like “say no to smoke them out”.

The South African Police Service and the army have been redeployed to the area as part of ongoing efforts to fight illegal mining.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu visited Stilfontein to witness the unfolding humanitarian crisis at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.

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Hundreds of illegal miners have been trapped underground without food or water, and a decomposed body was recently recovered. Despite criticism of heavy-handedness, Mchunu has vowed to continue the operation until all miners are brought to the surface.

Calls for de-escalation have grown as tensions between law enforcement and illegal miners in Stilfontein continue to rise. Community leaders and local authorities are urging the government to prioritise saving lives over the recovery of illicit goods.

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