The fight against illegal mining continues

LIMPOPO – As the fight against illegal mining continues, the police in Limpopo have arrested one suspected illegal miner and 13 undocumented foreign nationals during a multi-disciplinary disruptive operation conducted on Wednesday, 06 December 2023 in Capricorn District. Police also opened two inquest dockets.

The team received information about suspects’ illegally mining gold near Eersteling Farm in Westenburg policing area. Information was operationalised and the team pounced on the illegal miners who fled the scene. A 38-year-old suspect was arrested and the bodies of two suspected illegal miners, believed to have suffocated underground were found next to the mining site.

Preliminary investigation indicated that the deceased were operating during the night and their bodies were recovered by fellow illegal miners who left in the morning.

Police seized 21 bags containing unfinished raw materials.
The operation continued and 13 undocumented foreign nationals aged between 30 and 35 were arrested in the villages next to the mining sites in Malipisdrift policing area. Preliminary investigations could not link them to illegal mining.