Johannesburg - The bodies of two illegal miners were found in an old mine in Primrose near Germiston on Monday, Gauteng police said.
“It is suspected that a third body is still about 600 metres underground in an unused mine. Emergency Services have summoned the Mining Rescue Team to help with an operation to recover the third body,” said Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini.
He said the rescue operation was expected to be carried out on Tuesday.
“Two bodies were brought to the surface by other illegal miners who were taken into custody afterwards.”
On Sunday night a man claiming to have been mining illegally alleged that he and a group of miners had been attacked by unknown people.
Several shots were fired during the attack. Three of his friends were killed and he was shot and wounded in the buttocks.
“They were then robbed of their mining dust, cellphones, food, prima stoves and pots. After the attackers left, he came out of the shaft and reported the case at the police station.
“Eighteen of them, suspected to be Zimbabweans, were then arrested and will be charged with trespassing, illegal immigration and possibly illegal mining as they were found in possession of bags with mining dust,” said Dlamini. - Sapa