SWOOP: Nationwide anti-illegal mining operations net vehicles and equipment totalling more than R26 million in four months…

By WSAM Reporters

NELSPRUIT – A coordinated Operation Vala Umgodi, comprising SA National Defence Force and various police units targeting illegal mining activities, once again produced a string of successful results in various mining towns in Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga this week.

The multidisciplinary forces confiscated equipment, including vehicles, worth thousands of rands during the operations in areas such as Sabie, Kimberley, Lulekani, Giyani and Sekhukhuni.

In Sabie, Mpumalanga, illegal miners were left without operating equipment as a number of Phendukas, electric motors, gas bottles, and other items, including gold bearing materials were seized by the well formidable team.

This time around, the team focused on identified areas such as Nkanini, Simile’s informal settlement in Sabie, where the alleged gold bearing materials are said to be processed by illegal miners.

The units circled the area, however, the alleged suspects somehow managed to flee the scene undetectee. It was during this period when the team realized that the illegal miners had left behind some equipment in their backyards. The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has sent a stern warning against people who carry out illegal mining activities, warning it was just a matter of time before they were arrested.

In Polokwane, Limpopo, the Joint Multidisciplinary Forces comprises of police and the SA National Defence Force, in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs and Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, continued to stamp authority of the state in a disruptive approach to curb the scourge of illegal mining through Operation Vala Umgodi.

The Roving Team deployment from the SAPS Mission Action Joint Operation Centre (MAJOC) joined SAPS Mopani District in their tour of Operation.

Eight foreign national male suspects – aged between 23 and 50 years – were arrested at Lulekani and Giyani policing precincts for illegal mining and contravention of immigration act yesterday. In addition, three male suspects – aged between 23 and 38 years – were nabbed along R37 road at Driekop in Sekhukhune District last night for possession of suspected stolen precious minerals loaded in a white tipper truck.

The driver of the tipper truck, together with his crew, were also arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act while transporting suspected stolen chrome. Apart from the truck, police also confiscated numerous mining equipment, including two trailers, shovels, spades, picks, hammers, bicycles and a bag full of precious metals.

They also have discovered abandoned mining stock piles in separate locations at illegal mining sites around Sekhukhune District.

The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe hailed the various units for the collaborative efforts that yielded remarkable successes. The suspects are expected to appear before various Magistrate’s Courts in the coming week.

According to a recent defenceWeb report, SA Army personnel currently serving with the Light Modern Brigade (LMB) as part of a national initiative to curb illegal mining activity are proving to be active and able, racking up confiscations north of R126 million in a 11-week period.

The list of confiscated items between 23 December 2023 and 29 February 2024, as reported by an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations Division communication officer, range from mining equipment, including tipper trucks and tractor-loader-backhoes (TLBs) to firearms such as pistols, revolvers, assault (AK-47) and hunting rifles as well as illicit cigarettes; uncut diamonds; “gold-bearing material” and even 88 kg of presumably West Coast lobster.

In Kimberley, the high-density Vala Umgodi operations, with a focus on hotspot areas linked to illegal mining related crimes in Kimberley and Kleinzee, continued their swoop in these areas this week.

The operations are supported by personnel on the ground, increasing police visibility in an attempt to stabilise, normalise and reclaim the province from illicit mining activities.

The collaborative, multi-disciplinary, intelligence-driven approach, involving SAPS, Home Affairs SANDF, have conducted compliance inspections, foot-and-vehicle patrols at mines, dumping sites and intensified police visibility at shopping malls, complexes and taxi ranks since March 4.

Police arrested suspects for crimes ranging from, illegal mining, possession of drugs, dealing in illicit cigarettes and undocumented persons

The multi-disciplinary team confiscated two LDV bakkies, bags of possible diamond bearing gravel, mining operational equipment related tools, expired goods, illicit cigarettes, dagga and drugs.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola welcomed cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies in effectively addressing illegal mining activities.

MIRROR

Briefs

RAND SHOW OPENS SOON

The Rand Show, which takes place at Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec on March 28 until April 1, will host a brand-new pitching forum for young businesspeople.

Called ‘Mzansi Youth Tycoons’, the forum will give young entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of experts and secure R 10 000, as well as receive valuable support services for their business. Entrants are encouraged to enter by creating a five-minute video introducing themselves, their product or business idea and sending these to the Rand Show directly via Facebook messenger. Ten campaign finalists will be able to pitch their business idea to the panel.

The winner will also be granted the opportunity to present their business to all the attendees of the SMME Summit; secure live interview on Power FM; and three-month social media exposure package.

Tickets, available through Ticketpro, cost R70 and R320. – WSAM Reporter

69 ILLEGALS ESCAPE

The Department of Home Affairs has expressed concern over circumstances surrounding the escape by 69 undocumented foreign nationals, who were awaiting deportation but escaped from the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp.

The incident took place March 17. Lindela is managed by facilities management company EnvironMongz, which also provides security services on behalf of the department.

The inmates allegedly escaped during an altercation between themselves and EnvironMongz management and its security team.

The Department said it was unhappy over the incident, hence, the company’s contract was being scrutinised to decide on the best course of action.

The department has taken over the access control and other security functions at the facility by hiring a different security company while the matter was under investigation.

The facility held 1 521 undocumented foreign nationals for deportation before the incident. – WSAM Reporter

HIJACKED BUILDINGS PUSHBACK

The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has intensified its collaboration with property owners in a bid to eradicate unsafe buildings within the inner city.

This comes after the establishment of a new unit, the Problem Buildings Division, which is dedicated to tackling unsafe buildings, defined as derelict, abandoned, hijacked, structurally unsound and unlawfully erected, among other things.

The division encourages property owners, whose buildings have been deemed unsafe for occupation, to contact them or face future closure.

Deputy City Manager of Economic Development, Lihle Phewa, said these buildings – totalling 40 – present social issues, which include homelessness, crime and drugs, which are often found in such buildings. – SAnews.gov.za