SAPS Nabs 1,000 Illegal Miners at Mpumalanga Mine, Operation Ongoing

(The post News)- In an operation formed as part of Operation Vala Umgodi, the South African Police Service (SAPS) retrieved 1,000 illegal miners, popularly known as zama-zamas, along with undocumented immigrants at the Sheba Gold Mine near Barberton on Friday afternoon.

According to Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Donald Mdhluli, supply lines to the miners were deliberately cut off earlier in the week, effectively forcing many of them to surface from the underground tunnels where they had been operating illegally.

In a brief statement, SAPS indicated that its teams are conducting intelligence-driven operations, supported by visible policing and coordinated tactical deployments, to dismantle illegal mining networks operating in the region.

“These efforts aim to dismantle illegal mining networks, protect our natural resources, and ensure the safety of affected communities,” read the SAPS statement.

Further details will be released at a later stage, as the operation is still underway. It is believed that the number of detainees could increase as operations continue.

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Lukhona Sixishe

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Lukhona is a general news reporter who covers a wide range of stories, from politics to entertainment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Writing from the University of Cape Town and has had work published in News24. She joined The Post News in the second quarter of 2025. journalist-lukhona@thepostnews.net

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