Thursday, 21st May 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 2nd August 2025, 3:19 PM
South African police announced on Friday that they have arrested approximately 1,000 undocumented migrants working in illegal gold mines in the northeast of the country.
Operation Details
| Location | Mpumalanga Province, near Barberton village (close to Eswatini and Mozambique borders) |
| Duration | One week (operation started Monday) |
| Number Arrested | Around 1,000 illegal miners and undocumented migrants |
| Fatalities Reported | None so far |
| Operation Type | Joint effort between mine security and police |
Police spokesman Donald Mdhluli explained:
“As they are coming out, they have been taken.”
The authorities conducted a week-long sweep, surrounding the clandestine mining site to block supply routes, thereby forcing miners underground to surface and be arrested.
Context and Previous Incidents
This operation comes less than a year after a similar crackdown near Stilfontein, west of Johannesburg, where:
| Event | Details |
| Date | January (previous year) |
| Fatalities | At least 90 clandestine miners died |
| Outcome | Mines were definitively shut down |
The recent operation near Barberton was carried out with the aim of curbing illegal mining, which is often linked to unsafe working conditions and other social issues.
The continued police efforts highlight the challenges South Africa faces in managing illegal mining activities, which not only affect economic stability but also pose significant risks to the lives of those involved.
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