Suspected illegal miners released on warning
ATOK – The Hawks arrested eight suspected illegal miners aged between 28 and 65 last Thursday. They were allegedly involved in illegal mining activities in the Burgersfort, Atok and Lebowakgomo areas. On Friday, the suspects, Nthabiseng Mahlatji (29), Glory Kupa (46), Sarah Nkosi (53), Stix Mogofe (48), Mogolo Mogale (31), Napoleon Mokgotho (28), Paulinah Segobela …
ATOK – The Hawks arrested eight suspected illegal miners aged between 28 and 65 last Thursday. They were allegedly involved in illegal mining activities in the Burgersfort, Atok and Lebowakgomo areas.
On Friday, the suspects, Nthabiseng Mahlatji (29), Glory Kupa (46), Sarah Nkosi (53), Stix Mogofe (48), Mogolo Mogale (31), Napoleon Mokgotho (28), Paulinah Segobela (58) and Elizabeth Talane (55) appeared in the Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court on charges of illegal mining.
They were released on a warning. However, their case was postponed to December 11, said Limpopo Hawks spokesman, Capt Matimba Maluleke.
He said the suspects were caught in the act of mining chrome by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Team in collaboration with Public Order Police, Air Wing, Provincial Organised Crime Unit, National Intervention Unit and the Department of Mineral Resources.
“During the operation, the team seized an excavator, chrome stock piles, diesel trailer and other mining equipment to the value of over R5 million.”
Maluleke warned that more operations to address the scourge of illegal mining in Limpopo are still going to be conducted.
