SANDF Members Fall Into Abandoned Mineshaft During Anti-illegal Mining Operation in Johannesburg

• A search and rescue operation was launched in the west of Johannesburg after two individuals reportedly fell into an abandoned mineshaft
• The South African National Defence Force has been carrying out anti-illegal mining operations in the province
• Abandoned mine shafts around Johannesburg have become notorious hazards amid intensified crackdowns on illegal mining

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - A search and rescue operation is underway for two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who reportedly fell into an abandoned mineshaft.

Eyewitness News, which reported on the incident, indicated that it happened in the west of Johannesburg during an anti-illegal mining operation.

Details surrounding the exact circumstances of the fall remain limited at this stage. The operation was part of ongoing efforts by the SANDF to tackle illegal mining activity in the area, commonly carried out by zama-zamas, the informal miners who operate within disused and hazardous underground networks around Johannesburg.

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Abandoned mine shafts in and around Johannesburg have long posed severe risks to law enforcement personnel operating in the area. The shafts, many left unsecured following the closure of old gold mines, create unpredictable and dangerous terrain during ground operations.

Source: Briefly News