RUSTENBURG HERALD - RUSTENBURG - In another successful operation Vala Umgodi, targeting illegal mining activities and other associated crimes, members of SAPS arrested 104 undocumented foreign nationals and confiscated a variety of equipment.
The perpetrators were nabbed between Thursday, 10 April and Tuesday, 16 April, in the Bojanala Sub-District 1 and 2 (Brits and Rustenburg areas). Of the arrested individuals, four are female, aged between 18 and 58 and all were charged for contravention of Section 49 of the Immigration Act.
The arrested individuals are currently being processed through various Magistrate’s courts, before they will be deported by the Department of Home Affairs back to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria and Lesotho.
The operation commenced on Thursday morning, 10 April, in Tlhatlhaganyane in Sun City, when police arrested 20 suspects, whereof 19 were found to be undocumented foreign nationals. One of the foreigners was charged for being in possession of a dangerous weapon. A local business owner, Ali Hassan (24) was charged for contravention of Section 38(1)(a) of the immigration Act 13 of 2002, for employing an undocumented person. He paid a fine of R1 500.
Upon their return to the area of Sun City on Sunday, 13 April, the Vala Umgodi team arrested 18 more suspects for being illegal immigrants. A 34-year-old male was charged, after he was caught driving a vehicle without a driver’s license and was given a R1 000 fine.
The team also achieved success in Marikana West on Friday morning, 11 April, when police arrested 13 suspects for being illegal immigrants. In a similar situation to that of the arrests in Sun City, Muhammed Monirul Hasan (31) was charged for contravention of Section 38(1)(a) of the immigration Act 13 of 2002 for employing four undocumented persons. He paid a fine of R6 000.
On Saturday morning, 12 April, in Mogwase Zone 1, police arrested 17 more suspects for being illegal immigrants and a 36-year-old male, who is a South African citizen, was charged for being in possession of a dangerous weapon. On Monday morning, 14 April, 14 more illegal immigrants were arrested in Masosobane section in Phokeng.
Lastly, on Tuesday, 15 April on a farm in Skeerpoort at Hartbeespoortdam, a further 23 illegal immigrants were arrested, and Tshepo Kenny Maseko (37) was charged on three counts for the contravention of Section 38(1) (a) of the immigration Act 13 of 2002 for employing an undocumented person in Brits. He paid a fine of R4 500.
The Vala Umgodi team confiscated generators, water pumps, jack hammers, electrical cords, spades, pick axes and batteries - equipment believed to be used in illegal mining activities.
