According to the Free State Policespokesperson Sergent Mahlomola Kareli said these arrests underscore the ongoing commitment to cleaning up streets and eradicating illicit mining activities in the mining towns of Lejweleputswa.
The suspects, aged between 21 and 45, were apprehended during a series of disruptive operations that also led to the confiscation of gold-bearing material and illicit mining equipment. Undocumented males were among those arrested after being found in Meloding.
In a separate but related incident, members of the Vala Umgodi Tactical Response team were deployed to a volatile taxi dispute in Vierfontein. Their swift presence effectively normalized the situation, preventing it from escalating out of control. Vehicle checkpoints, stop, and search operations were also conducted in the area.
Further success was achieved in the ongoing effort to destabilize the illicit trade supporting illegal mining. Members intercepted and confiscated approximately 397 kilograms of instant porridge, intended for “zama zamas” (illegal miners) underground. This significant seizure prevented the supplies from reaching their intended destination.
The operation also saw the arrest of thirteen (13) more suspects for being illegal immigrants, found near A Hostel in Thabong. The robust partnership between the South African Police Service and private security companies continues to thrive in combating illicit mining. This collaboration led to the arrest of eight (8) suspects, with the subsequent seizure of gold-bearing material and equipment, including steel balls, washing basins, self-made trolleys, and phendukas.
Finally, three (3) additional suspects were arrested after voluntarily surfacing from underground at a mine near Theunissen.
These ongoing successes demonstrate the team’s unwavering resolve to disrupt and dismantle illegal mining operations and the associated criminal networks that plague our communities. Operations continue.