Limpopo Hawks clamp down on illegal miners
Maluleke said they confiscated 11 generators, seven jackhammers and some wheelbarrows, among other things. He indicated that the arrested illegal miners are aged between 19 and 37, and are foreign nationals.
BURGERSFORT – On Monday, the Mecklenburg Magistrate’s Court postponed the case against the 11 zama zamas arrested in Ga-Manyaka Village to September 14.
The suspects were arrested by the Limpopo Hawks on August 12. They were allegedly found mining chrome illegally.
“After gathering more intelligence about illegal mining activities at Ga-Manyaka in the Sekhukhune area, a multidisciplinary disruptive operation comprising the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime, Tactical Response Team, Public Order Police, Lebowakgomo Local Criminal Record Centre, Sekhukhune District Detectives, Vispol members, the dog unit, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and Emergency Services was conducted on August 12,” said the Limpopo Hawks’ spokesperson, Matimba Maluleke.
Maluleke said they confiscated 11 generators, seven jackhammers and some wheelbarrows, among other things.
He indicated that the arrested illegal miners are aged between 19 and 37, and are foreign nationals.
“They were remanded in custody and investigations are continuing into this matter.”
The Hawks have arrested a total of 48 alleged illegal miners since the beginning of August.
They were arrested in various mining communities in the Sekhukhune and Waterberg districts of Limpopo.
Those arrested included 38 undocumented foreign nationals.
During the arrests, law enforcement agencies confiscated mining equipment, including heavy-duty vehicles.
Residents of the affected communities have called on the police to deploy more resources to clamp down on illegal miners.
