28 suspects nabbed in crackdown on illegal mining
IN A CRACKDOWN on illicit mining activities, the multi-disciplinary team of Operation Vala Umgodi, in collaboration with Namakwa District Visible Policing and the Department of Home Affairs, conducted a series of raids across various locations in Kleinzee on Monday.
According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane, the intelligence-driven operation was carried out in the early hours of the morning, focusing on hot-spot areas identified in Kleinzee.
During the raids, the team seized five bags of potential diamond-bearing gravel and various mining implements and tools. A 57-year-old South African man was arrested on charges of illegal mining.
The operation culminated in the arrest of 27 undocumented individuals, including 12 Zimbabwean nationals aged between 28 and 50, 12 Lesotho nationals aged between 26 and 58, and three Mozambican nationals aged between 17 and 40.
The suspects are expected to make their court appearances in the near future.
The Operation Vala Umgodi team, along with external stakeholders, reaffirmed their commitment to combating illicit mining and related crimes in the Kleinzee area. This operation is seen as a significant step towards achieving that goal.
