Zama-Zamas
- South Africa News
Gwede Mantashe: No sympathy for trapped illegal miners
Gwede Mantashe: No sympathy for trapped illegal miners! Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe has made it clear…
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Roodepoort community urges government to formalise artisanal mining
Roodepoort community urges government to formalise artisanal mining! The Jerusalem informal settlement in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, is calling on…
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Calls for inquest into deaths of illegal miners in Stilfontein
Activists advocating for the rights of illegal miners, also known as zama zamas, are demanding an official inquest into the…
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Process to identify bodies of zama zamas extracted during Operation Vala Umgodi underway
Process to identify bodies of zama zamas extracted during Operation Vala Umgodi underway! The identification process of illegal miners‘ bodies…
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Over 100 illegal miners appear at Stilfontein Magistrates Court
More than 100 illegal miners, commonly referred to as zama zamas, appeared in the Stilfontein Magistrates Court on Friday morning…
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Zim officials roped in to identify & repatriate remains of illegal Stilfontein miners
Zim officials roped in to identify & repatriate remains of illegal Stilfontein miners! As operations to clamp down on illegal…
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Remains of over 70 Stilfontein illegal miners yet to be identified
Remains of over 70 Stilfontein illegal miners yet to be identified! The remains of more than 70 illegal miners, who…
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Stilfontein illegal mining: Calls mount for establishment of commission of inquiry into govt’s response
There are mounting calls for a commission of inquiry to be launched into the government’s response to the illegal mining…
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SANCO battling to face relatives of illegal miners still hoping for their safe return
As operations in Stilfontein start to wind down, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) says it doesn’t know how…
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Over 1,500 illegal miners arrested since Operation Vala Umgodi began
More than five months since Operation Vala Umgodi began in Stilfontein, officials say 1,540 illegal miners are in police custody…
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Autopsy results of Stilfontein zama zamas released
The autopsy results of some of the illegal miners who died in Stilfontein have been released as the death toll…
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Gwede Mantashe arrives in Stilfontein as operation to retrieve zama zamas continues
Gwede Mantashe arrives in Stilfontein as operation to retrieve zama zamas continues! Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has made his…
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Stilfontein residents threaten to protest over standoff between police & illegal miners
Stilfontein residents threaten to protest over standoff between police & illegal miners! Residents of Stilfontein, North West, are growing increasingly…
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2nd group of illegal Stilfontein miners sentenced
2nd group of illegal Stilfontein miners sentenced! A second group of zama zamas (illegal miners) from Stilfontein has been sentenced…
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Mpumalanga senior cop praises law enforcement for making in-roads in fighting illegal mining
Mpumalanga senior cop praises law enforcement for making in-roads in fighting illegal mining! Acting Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Zeph Mkhwanazi has…
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Decomposed zama zamas bodies found in Gauteng as 3 suspects nabbed for illegal mining
In a grim discovery, five decomposed bodies, believed to be those of illegal miners known as zama zamas, were found…
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‘Send us tobacco and more food’: Letter from Stilfontein illegal miners
‘Send us tobacco and more food’: Letter from Stilfontein illegal miners! Authorities in North West province have rescued two illegal…
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Stilfontein illegal miners make new demands amid rescue operation
Stilfontein illegal miners make new demands amid rescue operation! The situation surrounding illegal miners, or zama zamas, occupying an abandoned…
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Fundraising campaign for Stilfontein illegal miners gains momentum
Fundraising campaign for Stilfontein illegal miners gains momentum! Efforts to support illegal miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine in…
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Stilfontein: North West Community Safety MEC again under fire as rescue operation stalls
Stilfontein: North West Community Safety MEC again under fire as rescue operation stalls! North West MEC for Community Safety, Wessels…
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9th body of illegal miner retrieved in Stilfontein
9th body of illegal miner retrieved in Stilfontein! Rescue efforts to retrieve illegal miners, known as zama zamas, from an…
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Police Commissioner Masemola admits concerns food & water sent down will help sustain Stilfontein illegal miners
Police Commissioner Masemola admits concerns food & water sent down will help sustain Stilfontein illegal miners! Rescue operations at an…
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15 000 illegal miners nabbed since advent of Operation Vala Umgodi
Since the launch of Operation Vala Umgodi last year, South African authorities have arrested over 15,000 illegal miners, commonly known…
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8th body of illegal miner retrieved from abandoned Stilfontein gold mine
8th body of illegal miner retrieved from abandoned Stilfontein gold mine! The body of another illegal miner has been retrieved…
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Rescue operation to free over 100 trapped zama zamas in Sabie to continue
Rescue operation to free over 100 trapped zama zamas in Sabie to continue! Mpumalanga police remain on high alert at…
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Stilfontein zama zamas claim dead bodies piling up underground after body of illegal miner retrieved
Stilfontein zama zamas claim dead bodies piling up underground after body of illegal miner retrieved! Illegal miners occupying an abandoned…
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Four more illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein
Four more illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein! Efforts to address illegal mining in Stilfontein, a mining town in South Africa’s…
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10 undocumented illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein
10 undocumented illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein! On Saturday, ten undocumented zama zamas (illegal miners) emerged from the Stilfontein mine…
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Some teenagers arrested in Stilfontein say they were deceived into working underground
Some teenagers arrested in Stilfontein say they were deceived into working underground! Several teenagers who resurfaced from an abandoned gold…
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20 more Stilfontein illegal miners resurface
20 more Stilfontein illegal miners resurface! Authorities in the North West are intensifying efforts to dismantle underground networks of illegal…
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North West govt yet to see report on assessments at abandoned Stilfontein mine
North West govt yet to see report on assessments at abandoned Stilfontein mine! Efforts to rescue hundreds of illegal miners…
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Final step to get Stilfontein illegal miners to surface yet to get under way
Final step to get Stilfontein illegal miners to surface yet to get under way! Efforts to rescue hundreds of illegal…
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11 illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein
11 illegal miners resurface in Stilfontein! Efforts to address illegal mining activities in Stilfontein’s old Buffelsfontein gold mine continue, as…
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Police say extortionists demanding 30 percent of budget aimed at rescuing illegal miners
Police say extortionists demanding 30 percent of budget aimed at rescuing illegal miners! Efforts to rescue stranded illegal miners, known…
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Community leaders & police lock horns over court order barring non-emergency teams from Stilfontein mine
Community leaders & police lock horns over court order barring non-emergency teams from Stilfontein mine! Efforts to address the crisis…
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Stilfontein locals want retrieval of underground miners sped up
Stilfontein locals want retrieval of underground miners sped up! Concerns are mounting over the slow progress of efforts to extract…
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4 police Sergeants released on bail after they allegedly stole R1.8 million from an illegal mining boss
4 police Sergeants released on bail after they allegedly stole R1.8 million from an illegal mining boss! Four police officers…
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Extracting illegal miners from Stilfontein shaft could take days
Extracting illegal miners from Stilfontein shaft could take days! Efforts are underway to rescue hundreds of illegal miners, known as…
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Plan in motion to rescue miners at abandoned shaft in Stilfontein
Plan in motion to rescue miners at abandoned shaft in Stilfontein! Authorities in the North West province have initiated a…
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Official rescue team to ensure illegal miners resurface from abandoned Stilfontein mine
Official rescue team to ensure illegal miners resurface from abandoned Stilfontein mine! Authorities in South Africa are preparing for a…
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Thoko Didiza admits Operation Vala Umgodi at Stilfontein mine presenting a dilemma for govt
Thoko Didiza admits Operation Vala Umgodi at Stilfontein mine presenting a dilemma for govt! The South African government’s efforts to…
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Urgent action to save illegal miners trapped underground
Urgent action to save illegal miners trapped underground! Efforts to rescue illegal miners trapped in the disused shafts of Stilfontein,…
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Police Minister warns Stilfontein residents not to send supplies to zama zamas
Police Minister warns Stilfontein residents not to send supplies to zama zamas! Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has criticized the Stilfontein…
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It’s a wait-and-see game as police await their emergence of miners underground
It’s a wait-and-see game as police await their emergence of miners underground! The police are pressing on with an extensive…
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Woman says zama zamas used her home for over a year
A North West resident where police found a mine shaft in her house at Nkandla informal settlement leading to Sibanye…
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Six suspected zama zamas arrested in Primrose, Ekhuruleni
Where six suspected zama zamas have been arrested near the Simmer and Jack Landfill site in Primrose. Ekhuruleni metro officers…
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Usindiso building fire survivors say they feel abandoned & forgotten
Survivors of the residential building where 77 people died in a fire in Johannesburg said they felt abandoned and forgotten.…
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16 suspected zama zamas arrested in daring simultaneous busts
Police have arrested 16 people believed to be illegal miners at two illegal mining sites in Gauteng. They also arrested…
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Riverlea residents remain concerned about informal settlement & alleged links to illegal mining
The community of Riverlea said illegal mining stems from an informal settlement, which remains a cause for concern. The Zamimpilo…
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Marshalltown fire survivors in Denver fearful after hostel dweller raids
Some Marshalltown fire victims who’ve been moved to temporary shelters in Denver say they’re living in fear after the shelters…
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