S Africa arrests 1,000 illegal miners

South African police said Friday they have arrested some 1,000 undocumented migrants working in gold mines in the northeast of the country, Azernews reports, citing Tribune.

A police spokesman for the Mpumalanga province, where the week-long sweep took place, told AFP there could be more arrests because there are still illegal miners underground.

"As they are coming out, they have been taken," said the spokesman, Donald Mdhluli. The police operation, which started on Monday, targeted clandestine mining near the village of Barberton, close to the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique.

The Sheba Mine is owned by Barberton Mines who said in a statement: "Earlier this year there was outcry from the community and employees when Barberton Mines retrenched workers as the mine was unprofitable and facing closure. Now we know the reason why!

South African police said Friday they have arrested some 1,000 undocumented migrants working in gold mines in the northeast of the country.