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Police arrested about 1 000 alleged undocumented migrants at an illegal gold mine near Barberton, Mpumalanga, during a week-long operation.
Police have arrested around 1 000 alleged undocumented migrants working in illegal gold mines in Mpumalanga.
Speaking from where the week-long sweep took place, Mpumalanga police spokesperson Donald Mdhluli said there could be more arrests because there were still illegal miners underground.
“As they are coming out, they have been taken,” said Mdhluli.
READ | Stilfontein's dangerous and desperate illegal mining industry
Police surrounded the illegal Barberton mine to prevent supplies from entering, forcing those inside to come to the surface.
The police operation, which started on Monday, targeted clandestine mining near Barberton, which is close to the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique.
“About 1 000 illegal miners, who are also illegal immigrants, have been arrested,” Mdhluli said, calling it a joint operation between mine security and the police.
He added “there are no fatalities recorded so far”.
The arrests come less than a year after a similar operation was conducted near Stilfontein in North West, where at least 90 illegal miners lost their lives before the mines were shut in January.
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