Lentswe, Stilfontein - A dozen illegal miners that were caught underground at a mine shaft near Stilfontein are still being detained. Last week Col Adele Myburgh, police spokesperson, confirmed that the Zama-Zamas were arrested at the same shift. Mine security apprehended the first group of trespassers on Thursday September 19. One of them had unwrought gold hidden inside his dreadlocks. “Police were called to a local mine shaft, after mine security reported that they apprehended illegal miners on level 10.
Six illegal miners were found and on searching the suspects, seven pieces of almagum (Gold) were found, hidden in the dreadlocks of one of the suspects.”
Police were called back to the same shaft in Stilfontein the next day, where six more illegal miners were found on level 14. During the search, a backpack was found with more almagum inside.
Myburgh added that all 12 suspects were nabbed for contravention of the Immigration Act and for illegal mining. They appeared in court on Monday September 23.
