BRITS POS – BRITS – It is only the beginning as the Vala Umgodi task teams in North West applied pressure and achieved great success.
“225 illegal miners resurfaced from underground in Orkney as a result of starvation and dehydration by SAPS and members of the SANDF who blocked communities in and around these abandoned mining shafts in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and necessities to these illegal miners,” says Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, spokesperson for SAPS North West.
“These 225 illegal miners are part of others believed to be hundreds if not thousands of illegal miners who are now stuck underground.”
Operation Vala Umgodi is ongoing and the SAPS and the SANDF are still monitoring these old abandoned mine shafts as more and more illegal miners resurface.
Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya says Operation Vala Umgodi is yielding positive results across the country.
“We are closely monitoring the situation that is unfolding in the North West province, we are not backing down until all those illegal miners resurface and are arrested. Since its inception in December 2023 to date, more than 13 691 suspects have been arrested in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining. We have seized R5million in cash and uncut diamonds worth R32 million through Operation Vala Umgodi”, said Lt Gen Sibiya.
“The majority of those that have been arrested, are inclusive of South Africans, Mozambicans and Basotho nationals.”
An additional 340 miners resurfaced in Orkney and as at 12:00, Sunday, 3 November, they have all been placed under arrest. This brought the total to 565 illegal mine workers who have resurfaced.
“As part of the ongoing operation, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Illicit Mining Team and a multidisciplinary Vala Umgodi operation in Stilfontein on Tuesday, 5 November arrested another 140 illegal miners as they resurfaced from underground at Margaret Shaft. The illegal miners include Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi foreign nationals,” Brigadier Mokgwabone concludes
This operation brings the number of arrested illegal miners since 18 October to date, to more than 900 in less than a month.
