BRITS POS – BRITS – The team of Vala Umgodi continues to hit hard at illegal miners in North West.
At James shaft, Stilfontein the team’s Crime Intelligence spotted four suspicious males carrying a bag Wednesday, 5 June. The operational team was mobilised and managed to arrest the suspects. The members discovered two 12-volt batteries and a winch near a ventilation shaft. The goods were apparently due to be lowered underground.
The suspects, aged between 18 and 30, appeared before before the Stilfontein Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 10 June, facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and theft. Preliminary investigation revealed that three of the suspects, are Mozambican foreign nationals and two of them are undocumented. The fourth suspect is a South African. On Tuesday evening, 4 June 2024, the Vala Umgodi team conducted a way lay operation at Tony Shaft near Khuma Location. Upon arrival at the shaft, the members spotted Zama-Zamas, who ran in different directions and disappeared in the bushes.
The members subsequently discovered an Uzi machine gun with a magazine, 10 rounds of ammunition, various foodstuffs and a winch. It was established that the firearm was stolen during a house robbery in March 2023, in Klerksdorp. In the third incident, the team spotted suspects who were lowering foodstuffs at James Shaft, Stilfontein in the early hours of Friday morning, 31 May. Upon arrival of the police, the suspects ran away and left behind a lot of maize meal, a Nissan bakkie and a rope used to lower the foodstuffs underground. The goods, including the bakkie were confiscated. Investigations including confirmation of the vehicle ownership, are underway.
