By REGINALD KANYANE
26 January 2025- Nine suspects aged between 28 and 44, were arrested for allegedly being in the country illegally during Operation Vala Umgodi. This comes after they allegedly failed to produce any documentation that allowed them to be in the country.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said the police deployed at Operation Vala Umgodi allegedly received a tip-off from crime intelligence, regarding people who were involved in illegal mining activities at Nuttabooi Informal Settlement in Kleinzee, on Saturday, 25 January 2025, and are allegedly in the country illegally.
“The police, together with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) operationalised the information received at the identified informal settlement. The multi-disciplinary team proceeded and arrested two suspects, aged 40 and 42, for illegal mining.
“The police further issued two fines amounting to R1500 each to a man aged 23 and a woman (27), for selling liquor without a license. Equipment believed to be used in the commission of a crime and liquor were confiscated by the police,” he said.
Shemane further said the public is reminded that illegal mining is a criminal offence and urged to report illegal mining and other related crimes to the police crime stop number on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS App.
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