Twenty-one (21) illegal miners from Stilfontein remanded in custody

STILFONTEIN – The twenty (20) accused who were arrested in a joint operation led by the North West Hawks on 10 October 2022 at Stilfontein mine shaft, including an additional accused were remanded in custody. The accused are aged between 19 and 40.

They were arrested by a team led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation assisted by members of the Hawks’ Tactical Management Section, Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, District Illegal Mining Task Team, Tactical Response Team, Bidvest Protea Coin, and Harmony Gold mine.

The operation comes following weeks of surveillance into the alleged illegal mining activities of the suspects resulting in the arrest of twenty (20) suspects and the seizure of fifteen (15) AK47s, six (6) hunting rifles, two (2) shotguns and one (1) R5, boxes full of ammunition, explosives and an undisclosed amount of money.

Also scheduled to appear before the Stilfontein Magistrate’s court today are the eighty eight (88) alleged illegal miners who were arrested in Orkney on 20 October 2021 where eleven (11) firearms, ammunition, illegal mining paraphernalia, gold bearing material and food was seized.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, three suspects were arrested after the police operationalised information regarding individuals alleged to have been in possession of firearms. The trio was traveling in a taxi from Lesotho to Klerksdorp. Upon arrival at Klerksdorp, the suspects were searched and two pistols were found in their possession.

The 21st suspect was arrested on the same day, later on the day at his home in Stilfontein. The suspect was seen in the footage collected during surveillance with his vehicle delivering goods at the shaft on several occasions. The vehicle was also seized.