More than 200 illegal miners have been nabbed by police in Mpumalanga and more arrests are expected, police said on Wednesday.
Captain Leonard Hlathi said that operations running over the last two weeks had now seen more than 200 illegal miners arrested at Fairview mine in Barberton.
About 38 of those arrested at the gold mine were teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17.
”The operation is continuing … It is suspected more people are hiding under there and mining security is busy retrieving them.”
Legal miners raised the alert on their illegal counterparts.
Those arrested underground are charged with trespassing. Those found coming out of the mine with gold are charged with the possession of illegal gold.
Hlathi said illegal miners spent long periods underground — up to three months. During this time they would not come up but instead brought their own food and water to sustain them throughout the period.
Earlier this year, 19 bodies of illegal miners were retrieved at Fairview mine. — Sapa