A 65-year-old man and his accomplice have been arrested for allegedly turning their bedroom into a secret tunnel for illegal mining.
SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani confirmed that the man faces several charges, including illegal mining, tampering with essential infrastructure, and possession of suspected stolen goods.
65-Year-old Man Turns Bedroom into Secret Tunnel for Illegal Mining
Zimoja reports that the arrest took place on Thursday morning in the Nkandla informal settlement near Khuseleka 1 mine during a raid conducted by Tlhabane Visible Policing, the Royal Bafokeng Tactical Team, and Rustenburg Public Safety.
“The team received a tip-off and made the arrests. The homeowner, who lives with his family at the house, is believed to have either used the hole in the room’s floor or allowed others to use it as an entrance to the nearby mine shaft,” Funani said.
Funani described the scene as something out of a movie, with officers witnessing a group of men entering the house and disappearing into the hole in the bedroom floor. “With the assistance of the mine security team, some of the mine property and other equipment were found inside the house,” she added.
Operation Involved Several Zama Zamas
The search for additional suspects is ongoing, and authorities are working to dismantle the illegal mining operations in the area. Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena praised the police for their swift action.
“I welcome the arrests and thank the team for their concerted efforts in addressing illegal mining activities,” Kwena said.
South Africa has been decrying the notoriety of illegal gold miners, some of whom are foreign nationals. Thousands of abandoned or active mines attract illegal miners, also known as zama zamas. The estimated 30,000 illegal miners are organised by some 200 criminal syndicates (as of 2022).