WATCH | Fears scores of illegal miners are trapped after 14 die in Rustenburg

Fourteen suspected zama-zamas were killed when the walls of an excavated area collapsed while they were allegedly digging for platinum group metals (PGMs) at a dumping site near Rustenburg, North West.

The incident happened at the Nkaneng dumping site on the premises of Sibanye Mine and was reported to police at about 9pm on Monday.

North West police spokesperson Col Adele Myburgh said police were alerted by a zama-zama who had witnessed or been made aware of the incident.

“Preliminary information indicates that a group of suspected zama-zamas were conducting an illegal mining operation at a dumping site. A permit had been granted to a company to extract PGMs in the area. The group of zama-zamas were allegedly manually digging in an excavated area when the walls caved in, trapping the illegal miners.

“Nearby mine security was informed of the incident by a fellow zama-zama who, after reporting the incident, disappeared,” Myburgh said.

Police were then called to the scene, where the 14 dead miners were found.

Most of the dead are understood to be Basotho nationals.

“Eight miners who were rescued were taken to a local hospital. Three were discharged after receiving treatment and detained for allegedly contravening the Immigration Act, while the remaining five are still in hospital under police guard,” she said.

Authorities are continuing to assess the area amid fears that an unknown number of miners could still be trapped underground.

An inquest investigation has been opened to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

North West police commissioner Lt-Gen Arthur Adams described the incident as a tragic reminder of the dangers of illegal mining, saying unregulated mining operations often take place without proper safety measures, oversight or lawful working conditions.

He warned that people entering abandoned or active underground areas face significant risks, including rockfalls and other potentially fatal hazards.

Sowetan