The police task team deployed to combat illegal mining had massive successes during the past week when no fewer than 91 suspects were arrested in Operation Vala Umgodi.

The first breakthrough came last Thursday, April 3, when 37 suspects were arrested in an opencast mine high in the mountains of Schoemanskloof.

ALSO READ: Police raid illegal mining site in Schoemanskloof

Farmers in the picturesque valley have reportedly been begging the police for months to act against the illegal miners. The opencast mine trenches, which are about one kilometre in length, can clearly be seen from the Schoemanskloof Road.

Near the mine is a farm called Mashoboto. The mining site is on top of the Moshoboto Hills and the site is accessible via a well-maintained dirt road. The farm on which the illegal mining took place, belongs to a trust established after a successful land claim. The zama zamas had dug deep trenches and holes in an effort to reach the gold-bearing material.

ALSO READ: Seven undocumented foreigners arrested for possession of illegal mining equipment in Sabie

During the weekend, the task team cracked down on several illegal mining sites.

On Saturday, 10 miners who were digging for gold near a sports field in Embalenhle, Secunda, were arrested. At the same time 13 miners were arrested in Low’s Creek.

On Sunday, 23 suspects were arrested in Sabie and three more on the Barberton/Kaapmuiden Road near Low’s Creek. The three were each carrying a large bag, which drew the attention of members of the Vala Umgodi task team.
According to a provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, they confiscated a large number of generators, jackhammers, gas bottles, chemicals and bags full of gold-bearing material.

ALSO READ: Premier promises to continue fight against illegal mining outside Pilgrim’s Rest

All the suspects appeared in court this week and the cases were postponed for seven days for further investigation.
The Department of Home Affairs has also joined the investigation as more than 70 of the suspects are believed to be illegal immigrants.

NOTE: This article has been amended to remove reference to Kobus Joubert and Joubert en Seuns. Mr Joubert and Joubert en Seuns were wrongly referenced in the original article, and Lowvelder apologises for doing so. The public record is herewith updated to confirm that neither Mr Joubert nor Joubert en Seuns provided Lowvelder with any input or comment for publication.