Rescuers trying to save 150 ‘trapped zama zamas in Sabie’

After they were captured, they informed the guards that they and others had been trapped inside the mine. Mdhluli said several units were dispatched to the area for the rescue mission.

“All the units from the police, private security, the health department and home affairs are trying to retrieve the illegal miners trapped,” Mdhluli said.

“According to the rescued individuals, they had been forced to work and mine for gold by their captors under dangerous and dire conditions. Tragically, three individuals lost their lives while trapped inside the mine shaft. In light of this incident, it is believed that the ones running this illegal operation could possibly be heavily armed.”

One of the illegal miners told Sowetan he had been forced to work there and that he and the others escaped to free themselves. The miner said they were forcefully sent into the shaft to dig for gold some weeks ago. However, he claimed, their food and water were not delivered for three weeks.

“We work for these guys to dig for gold and get some money and then we started not receiving food from them because they started fighting among themselves. We ran out of food and sometimes we’d drink the poisonous water from the shaft to get some strength which helped us to get out. Some of the people down there are very weak.”