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Zama zamas have remained underground for several months and since the police’s Operation Vala Umgodi pounced on them in Orkney this month, many have refused to resurface for fear of being arrested.

November 19, 2024 at 11:48 am

Mining Affected Communities United in Action said it rejected the characterisation by some that the miners were refusing to come out and that they were making unreasonable demands. File photo. (Reuters/Ihsaan Haffejee)

Zama zamas in North West have remained underground for several months and since the police’s Operation Vala Umgodi pounced on them in Orkney this month, many have refused to resurface for fear of arrest.

Police had blocked the supply of food and water to the illegal miners to compel them to emerge. Some of the miners have died and some have fallen ill while others are too weak to resurface.

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