Two illegal miners (also known as Zama-Zamas) were killed when a mixture of rock and soil collapsed on them while they mined chrome at Ga-Makgoba village, outside Burgersfort in Limpopo, on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Jeremiah Serota aged 49 and Freddy Ngwenyama aged 41 – both from ga-Makgoba village.
Rescue and Medical Emergency Services assisted in retrieving the body of one of the miners and struggled to recover the second body.
Police opened an inquest after the miners’ deaths.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has warned all community members to desist from engaging in illegal mining as this is against the law and also hazardous.
A community member from Ga-Mathabatha says people are forced to engage in illegal chrome mining due to unemployment.
According to the community member, the mine started operating in June 2019.
