By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
20 May 2025- The North West police said since the inception and deployment of Operation Vala Umgodi unit to prevent and combat illegal mining and related crimes in the province’s identified illegal mining hotspots, hundreds of arrests and confiscations have been made.
The police said through high density integrated intelligence-initiated operation, the sting has resulted in the disruption, arrests and seizures of illicit goods such as unrefined gold, gold bearing material, drugs, firearms and ammunition, as well as counterfeit goods including illicit cigarettes and equipment such as pick axes, shovels, generators and groceries, among others.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said during the operation conducted by the Vala Umgodi team in the Bojanala District, 91 suspects involved in illegal mining were arrested from 13 to 19 May 2025. Mokgwabone said the suspects were arrested at Kroondal, Geelhout Park and in the Rustenburg policing and Tlhabane precincts, as well as at Skeerpoort, Moonooi and Hartbeespoort in the Bojanala 1 district and in Tlhatlaganyane, Ledig and Mabele-A-Podi villages policed by Sun City and Mogwase Police Stations.
“Seventy seven out of 91 arrested zama-zamas (illegal miners) are from Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, who are in addition to being charged with mining without the necessary permits (illegal mining) are also charged with contravening Section 49(1) of the Immigration Act, 13 of 2002, while the remaining 14 are South Africans are charged with mining illegally.
“The team confiscated equipment used to mine illegally, which included 16 petrol/diesel generators, hammers and jack hammers, shovels, electric extension cords, grease pumps and self-made sifting contraptions commonly referred to as Pendukas and steel balls,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said all the suspects will appear before the Mogwase, Brits, Tlhabane and Rustenburg Magistrate’s Courts.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, lauded the Vala Umgodi team for their bravery, dedication to duty in combating the threat of illegal mining, which is not only part of organised crime and illicit economy, but which is a national security threat that undermines the authority, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state.
Asaneng said all South Africans who aid, abet including harbouring illegal migrants and who are involved in illegal mining must know that the police will pursue them relentlessly and that they will face the full wrath of the law for their treasonous criminal conduct.
The Guardian 