Stilfontein mine is a crime scene – Ramaphosa

“It is well-established that illegal miners are recruited by criminal gangs and form part of wider organised crime syndicates. The hazardous nature of illicit and unregulated mining poses considerable risk in terms of the presence of explosives, the inhalation of toxic fumes and the possible collapse of unstable mine shafts. This endangers not only the illegal miners, but also our police and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Ramaphosa said acts of violence and intimidation of communities by illegal miners is well-documented, with some having been implicated in serious and violent crimes, including murder and gang rape.

“Many are in the country illegally. Illicit mining activity costs our economy billions of rands in lost export income, royalties and taxes. Violence between rival gangs over the spoils of illicit mining has spilled over into surrounding communities and has cost a number of lives,” he said.

As a country committed to the rule of law and dedicated to upholding the human rights of all, the government will continue to work towards a peaceful resolution of the stand-off at Stilfontein, Ramaphosa said.

He said government set up an illegal mining task force involving various parts of the security cluster to deal with illicit mining and the SA National Defence were supporting police in this matter.

More than 1,000 illegal miners have since resurfaced from the disused Stilfontein shaft but others have refused, fearing arrest.

Scores of community volunteers have been assisting some miners to resurface using a rope to pull out some of the men underground.

He said law enforcement agencies have been negotiating with the illegal miners since the stand-off began to get them to the surface and to safety.

“As part of the operation, police had closed off the entrances the illegal miners use to transport their supplies underground. This has generated a great deal of public debate about the rights of illegal miners.