BARBERTON, MPUMALANGA – More than 480 illegal miners, including four juveniles, appeared in court yesterday after being arrested during a major police operation at a Barberton gold mine last week.
The group faces charges of trespassing, theft of gold-bearing material, and breaking immigration laws. Their arrests were part of Operation Vala Umgodi, a long-running police campaign targeting illegal mining syndicates across South Africa.
The court granted bail of R2 000 each to 26 of the accused who had clean records, fixed addresses, and no pending cases.
However, the State plans to oppose bail for those with previous convictions or pending cases. The remaining accused were kept in custody, with the case postponed to 11-12 August for bail applications.
The court appearance follows a massive week-long police operation that started on 28 July near Barberton in Mpumalanga province, close to the Eswatini and Mozambique borders.
Police spokesman Donald Mdhluli said that around 1 000 undocumented migrants were arrested during the joint operation between Sheba Mine security and police.
Police surrounded the illegal mining sites and cut off food and supply routes, forcing miners underground to come to the surface where they were arrested.
Barberton Mines, which owns the Sheba Mine, linked the illegal mining to the company’s recent financial problems.
“Earlier this year there was outcry from the community and employees when Barberton Mines retrenched workers as the mine was unprofitable and facing closure. Now we know the reason why!” the company said.
The mine claimed that extensive illegal operations had hurt their business, with “food and supplies getting to a thriving illegal mining world underground.”
This operation is part of South Africa’s wider fight against illegal mining. Less than a year ago, a similar operation near Stilfontein, west of Johannesburg, ended tragically with at least 90 illegal miners losing their lives.
The National Prosecuting Authority says it’s committed to prosecuting these cases because illegal mining seriously damages the economy and environment while putting lives at risk.
The case highlights South Africa’s ongoing struggle with illegal mining operations, which often involve undocumented migrants looking for work but end up undermining legitimate businesses and creating safety risks for communities.
