Illegal mining equipment seized in Pilgrim’s Rest, six arrested
A police operation in Pilgrim's Rest led to the arrest of six people and the confiscation of illegal mining equipment.
Six people were arrested, and illegal mining equipment seized during a police operation in the Pilgrim’s Rest area on Tuesday October 11.
According to a provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, police recovered six generators, four water pumps, five 14kg oxygen gas bottles, three 9kg gas bottles, and three 19kg gas bottles.
He said police also seized seven phendukas (a machine used to refine gold), seven phenduka motors, four shovels as well as one small scale. All the items were found abandoned as the suspected illegal miners fled the scene when they saw the police.
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“Six people were found in the bushes. Five are undocumented Mozambican nationals and one is an undocumented Zimbabwean national,” he said.
The men appeared in the Graskop Magistrate’s Court on October 12. The Zimbabwean national was released on R2 000 bail. The remaining five were remanded in custody and are expected to appear in court on various different dates from October 16 to October 19.
