Their crackdown on illegal mining in Rustenburg over the weekend led to the arrest of 20 suspects who attempted to evade capture by hiding underground.

This latest bust comes after the previous arrest of a 65-year-old homeowner who allegedly permitted a group of illegal miners to use a bedroom in his residence as an entry point to dig a tunnel into Sibanye’s Khuseleka mine shaft, which is also in Rustenburg.

Provincial police Spokesperson Amanda Funani says 10 more suspects were nabbed last night.

Funani says concerned community members reported illegal activities happening at one of the suspect’s houses.

“At first, we were suspecting that the owner might be dealing with drugs. We did our investigations and we saw the people getting in the house, then they never came back. In the early hours of Thursday morning, that is when we went inside the house, that is where we saw the tunnel.”

--SABC--