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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
SOUTH African police have tightened screws on illegal mining activities following the death of eight panners in the Burgersfor area in Limpompo Province last week.
Four Zimbabweans, three Mozambicans and a South African died when the mine shaft collapsed following heavy rains that fell in the area.
The incident occurred in the ga-Moroga Village where the illegal miners had been digging for chrome.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said that they had embarked on a clean-up exercise targeting illegal miners.
He said so far they had seized chrome worth half a million rand and arrested one suspect.
“Members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol team have arrested a 38-year-old suspect and seized chrome worth about R500 000,” said Col Ledwaba.
He said the suspect was arrested on Wednesday night while travelling along the R37 road next to Atok in the Apel policing precinct outside Burgersfort.
“The members were performing normal patrol duties when they noticed an overloaded tipper truck travelling in the direction of Burgersfort at about 11PM,” said Col Ledwaba.
He said the truck was stopped and pulled off the road and the driver was questioned about the load and he informed the police that he was transporting chrome that was allegedly gathered by illegal miners at a mine in Atok.
Col Ledwaba said the man was immediately arrested and the truck was impounded.
“The suspect is expected to appear in the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court soon facing a charge of unlawful possession of precious metals. Further investigations into the matter are underway,” he added.
Illegal chrome mining activities are rife in areas along the R37 road in Sekhukhune District where the police have been arresting many illegal miners and confiscating mining equipment.
The tragic mine incident follows another case involving four Zimbabweans who were among 21 suspected illegal miners whose bodies were discovered in a mineshaft in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa in November last year.
Before that, South African emergency workers retrieved eleven bodies of Zimbabweans who died after a generator they were using in a disused underground mine exploded in Benoni, some 35km outside Johannesburg.
It is understood that the group which included 15 people, among them Zimbabweans and Mozambicans, entered the mine and were using the generator for lighting and drilling.
The mine is located in the Springs area of Benoni. – @tupeyo.
Online Reporter