THE deputy Minister of Police, Polly Boshielo, has been quoted, as saying the wholly suspended sentences given to illegal miners is a setback to the extensive efforts by government to combat illicit mining.
Last week, IOL reported that some of the illegal miners, who were arrested after being rescued from disused mines at Stilfontein, North West, had appeared in court where they received wholly suspended sentences.
“The court handed down six months imprisonment or R12,000 fine to each of the accused for illegal mining.”
The sentences are wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition that the miners are not convicted again for illegal mining committed during the period of suspension.
The illegal miners were further sentenced to three months imprisonment or R6,000 fine which is wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted for contravention of South Africa’s Immigration Act.
At the time, a community-based organisation, the Mining Affected Community in Action (Macua), had again approached the court following a ruling that the SAPS must allow miners at Stilfontein to immediately be supplied with food, water, and medication from the community and charitable organisations.
On Wednesday, IOL also reported that South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has castigated government for the agonizing death of more than 50 miners at Stilfontein, North West, whose bodies have now been extracted following a months-long standoff.
On the second day of the State-sponsored rescue mission, a total of 106 illegal miners were brought to surface and arrested for illegal mining.
A total of 51 bodies of the miners were also extracted from the mine shaft.
This is a developing story.
Image (Police use mine lift to extract miners and bodies at Stilfontein, NW).
