Ten Undocumented Mozambican Nationals Arrested for Illegal Mining in Sabie, Mpumalanga
Police have arrested ten Mozambican nationals during an anti-illegal mining operation in the Sabie area of Mpumalanga on 1 November 2026.
The arrests were made during an Operation Vala Umgodi raid that began at around 08:00. The suspects, who were allegedly found to be in the country illegally, face charges relating to illegal mining and the possession of suspected gold-bearing material (GBM) and gold-bearing equipment (GBE).
The operation also resulted in two people being issued with fines for dealing in liquor without a licence. They include a South African national and an undocumented Mozambican national.
Police confiscated two phendukas (gold-processing machines), ten 12.5kg bags of suspected gold-bearing material, 76 steel balls, two fern belts, an electric motor and cables.
Other items seized included a shovel, two hammers, a gas cylinder, a cutting torch, plastic buckets, water boots, a helmet, head torches and unlicensed liquor.
A total of 12 cases have been opened, and the suspects are expected to appear in the Sabie Magistrate’s Court.
Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise welcomed the arrests and commended the officers involved in the operation.
Modise said illegal mining continues to damage the economy and the environment while posing serious safety risks. She emphasised that Operation Vala Umgodi would be intensified across the province.
The Sabie area has been a focus of ongoing anti-illegal mining operations, with previous arrests reported in Sabie, Mashobodo, Ngodwana and Pilgrim’s Rest as police continue targeting suspected illegal mining activities.
