Police disrupt suspected illegal mining activity in Giyani
Officers made the discovery while attending to an unrelated dispute involving mining permit holders in the area.
LIMPOPO – A 30-year-old man has been arrested following a police operation targeting suspected illegal mining activity along a river in Homu 14B Section near Giyani.
Suspects spotted at riverbank
According to police, members of the Mopani District Illicit Mining Team were attending to a dispute between two mining permit holders at a mining site along the river on June 5.
While still at the scene at about 10:50, officers allegedly noticed a group of individuals processing suspected unwrought precious metals on the riverbank.
Police approached the area and found four men operating what was described as a temporary manual processing system.
One arrested, others escape
A 30-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene.
Police said three other suspects fled by crossing the river and managed to evade arrest.
Equipment seized
During the operation, police confiscated several items allegedly used in the processing activity, including six 20-litre buckets, two shovels, a pick, a large plastic basin and a bag containing suspected unwrought precious metals.
The arrested suspect is expected to appear in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on a charge of illegal processing of unwrought precious metals.
Police investigations are continuing.
