130 suspects were arrested in connection to illegal mining operations in the Free State alone. Image: SAPS.
(The Post News)– Initially implemented in November 2023 to aid the government in countering illegal mining activities across the country, Operation Vala Umgodi has achieved notable outcomes by apprehending more than 236 suspects, who are reported to be of foreign nationalities, in the 3 weeks of June.
During the sting raids, authorities arrested suspects for several criminal offences, such as attempted murder, being in unlawful possession of equipment and fabric that contains gold, as well as carrying illegal firearms and explosives. The first arrests were made in Bronville, Free State, where 2 suspects were caught carrying fraudulent travel documents. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the arrest revealed the criminal network tied to the illegal mining syndicate.
In another bust in the Free State, a man in his mid-40s was arrested near Theunissen as he emerged from an underground shaft. 2 more suspects were apprehended when they were found in possession of illegal mining equipment, including spades, phendukas, gas cylinders, and buckets. Another male, aged 37, was arrested when he robbed a hitchhiker on the N1, near Ventersburg. Holding hands with several governmental units, the Vala Umgodi operators conducted a collaborative roadblock on the N1 national road, leading to the apprehension of 28 illegal immigrants from several countries. As a result of the combined effort from across the country, SAPS released a statement revealing that 130 of the said 239 suspects were arrested in the Free State alone.
Determined to continue taking down illegal syndicates, a 42-year-old suspect, who has been identified as Sydwell Shane Mkhantswa, was arrested on the 12th of June in his Germiston home, in Gauteng, for delivering stolen materials from Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), valued at almost R25 million, to Isipingo in Durban. The next day, another suspect was gunned down in the Soul City informal settlement when he opened fire on Operation Vala Umgodi authorities in an attempt to escape.
As the operation continues, some suspects have already appeared in court, whilst the majority of the apprehended suspects are expected to appear in court in the following weeks.
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