News24 reports that a group of more than twenty illegal miners in the Free State were given long prison sentences in the Virginia Circuit Court on Tuesday.
The men and one woman were convicted on 577 charges that include racketeering, money laundering, the contravention of the Precious Metals Act and the Criminal Procedure Act. They were also charged with trespassing and violating the Immigration Act as well as the theft of gold-bearing material worth more than R120m. The man believed to be the syndicate leader will serve an effective 25 years in prison. Another illegal miner will serve 23 years. The rest of them were sentenced to between 20 and 22 years in prison. Hawks spokesperson Captain Philani Nkwalase indicated that the matter related to the arrest of illegal miners at the Masimong Mine in Welkom in April 2014 for illegal mining operations that started two years earlier.
- Read this report by Andre Grobler in full at News24
- See too, Zama Zamas jailed for two decades after illegal mining bust, at TimesLive
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page