South African authorities have arrested approximately 1,000 undocumented migrants involved in illegal gold mining activities in the northeastern province of Mpumalanga, police confirmed on Friday.
The arrests were made during a week-long police operation that began on Monday around the village of Barberton, near the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique. The crackdown targeted illegal mining around the Sheba Mine, owned by Barberton Mines.
Donald Mdhluli, spokesperson for Mpumalanga police, said the operation was still ongoing and more arrests were possible. “As they are coming out, they have been taken,” Mdhluli told AFP, noting that some illegal miners remained underground.
The mine had reportedly suffered financial losses earlier this year, leading to worker retrenchments. In a statement, Barberton Mines said the discovery of a “thriving illegal mining world underground” helped explain the company’s financial woes. “Food and supplies had been getting in. This had to be stopped,” the company stated, emphasizing its commitment to eradicating illegal mining in cooperation with police.
The joint effort between mine security and law enforcement involved surrounding the area to cut off supply routes, forcing miners to surface. Authorities said there have been no reported fatalities so far.
The operation echoes a similar one near Stilfontein, west of Johannesburg, where at least 90 illegal miners died in late 2023 before the site was permanently sealed in January this year.
South African authorities have repeatedly warned of the dangers posed by illegal mining, often linked to organized crime, hazardous working conditions, and loss of revenue. The latest sweep underscores renewed efforts to tackle the problem at its root.
Written By Rodney Mbua
