THIRTY-FOUR illegal miners have resurfaced from the Stilfontein mine in the North West since Sunday, 24 November.
Fourteen emerged on Sunday night and 20 on Monday, 25 November.
Police are on high alert, anticipating more zama zamas will emerge.
Since 18 August, a total of 1 ,259 illegal miners have resurfaced. Of these, 871 are Mozambicans, 343 are Zimbabweans, 33 are from Lesotho, one is Malawian, and only 10 are South Africans.
So far, one body has been found, and the nationality and time of death are being verified.
According to Wessels Morweng, North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC, the second phase of the operation on Saturday and Sunday involved using machinery and advanced equipment, including cameras, to assess the mine shaft.
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This was to gather information about the methane gas levels, its danger, and the condition and number of illegal miners.
"On Friday, a note from underground mentioned about 500 illegal miners, with 300 unwell, requesting more food," Morweng said.
He said that some resurfaced miners indicated they were held against their will by armed illegal miners.
"On 23 November, 12 illegal miners emerged through the Margaret Shaft, with 11 Mozambicans and one Zimbabwean. On 24 November, 14 Mazambicans emerged from Shaft 10, which authorities noted as flooded. They were all wet, proving water presence down there," he said.
On 25 November 2024, 20 illegal miners emerged at the Margaret Shaft, encouraged for use. They included 15 from Lesotho, three Mozambicans, and two Zimbabweans, bringing the total number of resurfaced miners in the last 24 hours to 34.
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