Eighty-four illegal miners last week appeared in a Bulawayo court charged with contravening section 368(1) of the Mines and Minerals Act, prospecting for gold without a license.
Thirty-four women and 50 men were arrested while allegedly prospecting illegally for gold at Sunace Mine, Arda in Umguza in Matabeleland North.
Bulawayo Magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi remanded them out of custody some on free bail and others on $100 bail and gave the group court appearance dates from May 21 to 24, giving reasons that they were too many and could not all be dealt with in a single courtroom in one session.
The alleged illegal miners include Nkosiyazi Moyo (23), Sipho Ndlovu (32), Ishmael Munsaka (20), Joshua Munsaka (29), Anex Ncube (18), Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu (43), Latin Nyoni (22), Sibangani Sibanda (37) and Thembinkosi Ncube (32). The majority of the accused persons came from Lupane, Umguza, Nyamandlovu, Inyathi, Bubi, Binga and Kensington.
Illegal mining activities led to the death of 28 miners in Battlefields near Kadoma in March.
