Joint operation leads to more than 100 arrests of suspected illegal miners in Ekurhuleni
A joint operation between the SA Police Service, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and the Department of Home Affairs led to the arrest of more than 100 suspected illegal miners (colloquially known as zama-zamas) in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, on Friday.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, said authorities descended on the Marathon informal settlement after public outcry about illegal mining and random shootings in the area.
"During the operation, which [ran from] the morning until late in the afternoon on Friday, the team arrested more than 100 undocumented foreign nationals who are suspected to be involved in illegal mining in the area.
"A number of places where they illegally process gold-bearing material were raided and dismantled. A significant quantity of tools of the trade that include gas cylinders, phendukas (makeshift, hand-cranked tumblers), explosives and generators were seized," said Masondo.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela, applauded the integrated forces for working together and called for communities to continue reporting any illegal activities, including illegal mining.
"The presence of SANDF members and other law enforcement agencies is helping us a great deal as we continue to make inroads in the fight against illegal mining in our province," Mawela said.
Police said the joint operation would continue across the province to deal with the scourge of illegal mining.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Rentech provides renewable energy products and services to the local and selected African markets. Supplying inverters, lithium and lead-acid...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
