KEY POINTS
- Operation Vala Umgodi targets illegal mining in North West.
- Undocumented foreign nationals arrested for involvement in illicit mining.
- Police seize illegal mining equipment and confiscate excavators.
A police operation targeting illegal mining activities in North West Province led to the arrest of multiple undocumented foreign nationals and the confiscation of mining equipment.
The arrests occurred as part of Operation Vala Umgodi. The operation aimed at tackling illicit mining and its associated crimes in the Bojanala Platinum District.
According to Captain Mpho Manyoba, a spokesperson for the provincial police, law enforcement teams carried out the operation on March 20.
They confiscated two excavators and additional mining equipment found abandoned at a site in Bapong, near the Mogwase policing precinct.
The operation also led to the arrest of 10 foreign nationals. These individuals, including people from Zimbabwe and Malawi, were charged with contravening the Immigration Act.
Moreover, these suspects are scheduled to appear in Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on March 24.
More arrests made as illegal mining operations continue
In a separate operation conducted in Freedom Park near Phokeng, authorities arrested 12 undocumented foreign nationals between March 21-22. Also, they were arrested for involvement in illegal mining activities.
The suspects, from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, will appear before the Bafokeng Magistrate’s Court in Tlhabane.
On March 21, police made further arrests in Mogwase. They detained nine undocumented foreign nationals and seized illegal mining equipment.
According to IOL, the operation also targeted the Witrandjie illegal mining site in Moruleng, where the police seized several penduka machines and steel balls in Schaumburg, near Hartbeespoort Dam.
Police commend efforts to curb illegal activities
Major General Patrick Asaneng, the acting provincial commissioner, thanked the police for their efforts in enforcing the law.
“This ongoing operation is part of our broader strategy to combat illegal mining and protect the community from the harms it causes,” said Asaneng.
The police launched the operation amid growing concerns over the environmental and social damage caused by illicit mining activities.
These activities often involve foreign nationals working without the necessary legal documentation.
