Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has vowed to dismantle syndicates who are allegedly behind the “slave” illegal mining operations at the Old Sabie gold mine, where 150 illegal miners were allegedly trapped underground by armed captors.
Speaking from the dusty New Village, a short drive from the town of Sabie, Ndlovu painted a grim picture of the horrors endured by the victims. His visit to the heavily guarded crime scene on Thursday morning preceded that of National Police Commissioner Fanie Masemola, as authorities intensified efforts to save the trapped miners and bring the culprits to justice.
Illegal miners rescued, two had broken limbs
By Thursday, 11 miners had been rescued, including two with broken limbs. According to Ndlovu, those rescued revealed a shocking tale of exploitation and despair.
“I engaged them and I know that they are all from outside,” Ndlovu said. “They indicated to me that they felt when they came to this country they’d get decent work. And they were invited here. But instead of getting decent work, they were forced to do something they are not happy to do.
“Instead of working for their families, they worked for someone else. I think this guy is filthy rich. He is the one who recruited these people. And he is forcing them to stay underground even when they want to come out. There is one that got killed because he said he wanted to go out.”
‘It is destroying communities’
Ndlovu did not mince his words about the syndicates orchestrating these operations.
“Illegal mining is a disaster, according to me. That’s why I came here. We have people we don’t know who are coming into our areas. They stay here while heavily armed and commit crimes in the province,” he said.
In his media address, Ndlovu vowed that the full force of law enforcement would be brought to bear on those responsible.
“We are going to hunt these syndicates; that is our work. It is the work of the police in this country. We want to minimise the rate of crime in Mpumalanga. And we will deal with the syndicates, and then these small fish will follow. We will break these syndicates,” vowed the premier
Illegal mining, Ndlovu added, was more than an economic problem — it is a societal menace.
“The side effects of illegal mining include water source pollution, environmental degradation, and revenue loss for the country. It’s destroying communities,” Ndlovu said.
Law enforcement will deal with violence swiftly
The tragedy at Sabie also underscored the dangers faced by those forced into illegal mining.
“What I know is that so far three people have died. And I’d like to send condolences to their families,” Ndlovu said.
With armed criminals ready to shoot at law enforcement officers, the stakes are high. But for Ndlovu, there is no turning back.
“Any form of criminality should be dealt with swiftly,” he said.
As the rescue operation continues, Sabie stands as a grim reminder of the human cost of illegal mining. And the need for decisive action against the powerful syndicates behind it.
