Five Mozambican nationals, aged between 26 and 50, are expected to appear in the Pilgrim’s Rest Magistrate’s Court today.

Lowvelder reports they were arrested after police received a tip-off about illegal mining activities at Columbia Hill in Pilgrim’s Rest on Tuesday.

The arrests were made as part of Operation Vala Umgodi – a national operation to combat illegal mining. The suspects were also charged with contravening the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.

“We received information that some alleged illegal mining activities were taking place in the area. We managed to arrest five illegal immigrants after they failed to produce documents to be in the country,” says provincial police spokesperson Colonel Jabu Ndubane.

She adds police recovered 144 phendukas, hand-operated cylinders used in illegal mining, and 22 industrial generators.

“As the phendukas and generators couldn’t be brought down from the steep mountain due to the difficult terrain, the exhibits were destroyed,” says Ndubane.