HOEDSPRUIT – Illegal mining in Mopani, including illicit gold operations and concerns over pollution threatening the Blyde River, has been highlighted as part of a growing illegal-mining problem across Limpopo.

DA says a preliminary review has identified more than 50 illegal-mining sites or nodes across Limpopo’s five districts over the past five years, with at least 19 hotspot clusters where activities allegedly continued or returned despite police and other interventions.

Hotspot that keeps reopening

In Mopani, Mavalani near Giyani has been subjected to repeated law-enforcement operations.

According to the DA, despite operations during 2025, police again uncovered suspected minerals, processing equipment, vehicles and firearms at Mavalani in May this year.

Fears for the Blyde River

The situation comes as the Herald has been reporting on concerns over illegal mining and gold processing threatening the Blyde River.

READ MORE: Illegal mining threatens Blyde River with cyanide pollution

In September, the Herald reported that the Blyde River Task Force (BRTF) estimated about 65 active illegal-mining sites within the Pilgrim’s Rest and Blyde River catchment area it monitors. The task force alleged that illegal gold-processing operations use cyanide and other hazardous substances.

BRTF representative De Wet du Toit said accredited samples collected from illegal processing sites had tested positive for cyanide and heavy metals.

The BRTF also raised concerns over sediment pollution entering the river and the possible impact on downstream communities, agriculture, tourism and biodiversity.

The allegations remain subject to independent verification by relevant authorities and specialists.

Networks behind the pits

Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism DA spokesperson Jacques Smalle said repeated illegal-mining activity after law-enforcement operations showed that authorities needed to target more than miners working at individual sites.

“Raids and arrests alone are not working,” Smalle said.

He said illegal-mining operations involved wider networks that included people financing activities, supplying machinery, transporting and processing minerals and purchasing illegally extracted material.

Illegal mining can no longer be treated principally as a policing operation. It must be treated as a criminal business to be dismantled from pit to purchaser.

A plan for the premier

The party has called on Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba to set out a province-wide, multi-sectoral plan targeting the entire illegal-mining network.

Smalle said authorities should follow the money, target those organising and profitting from illegal mining, seize criminal assets and prevent previously closed sites from reopening.