OVER 400 illegal miners of different nationalities, including Zimbabweans, have been arrested during a nationwide operation against artisanal mining activities in South Africa.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) said the 427 suspects were nabbed during an operation code-named ValaUmgodi, which began from May 19.
They face charges of illegal mining related offences and various other crimes that include, among others; attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of drugs and theft of a motor vehicle.
“At the time of their arrest, on March 25, 2025, and March 30, 2025, respectively, the members were conducting disruptive ValaUmgodi operations at Bonnet informational settlement,” said Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk, of the SAPS, in a statement.
Among various items seized during the ValaUmgodi operations include 12 unlicensed firearms, 506 rounds of ammunition and seven vehicles that include sedans and trucks
“Free State: Joint illicit mining disruptive policing actions by the ValaUmgodi team in the Free State province on May 22, 2025, led to the arrest of 16 suspects on charges related to illegal mining,” van Wyk said.
SAPS was supported by private security companies.
In Gauteng, SAPS conducted an operation on May 20, 2025, at Protea Mine in Magaliesburg.
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“This resulted in the arrest of 40 suspects for illegal mining, possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of explosives, contravention of the Immigration Act,” van Wyk said.
“Seized items included firearms, ammunition, explosives and illegal mining equipment such as generators, drills, phendukas and other machinery.”
In KwaZulu-Natal, two suspected cash in-transit (CIT) robbers were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with the ValaUmgodi team at Wasbank, near Ladysmith on May 22, 2025.
“Police were following intelligence about the whereabouts of the suspects who were wanted for at least six CIT robbery incidents which happened in KwaDukuza, Verulam, Nyoni, Greytown, Phoenix and Langslaagte between June 2022 and March 2025,” van Wyk said.
In Limpopo, 161 161 undocumented foreign nationals were nabbed during a multi-disciplinary operation conducted at Groblersdal and Marble Hall policing areas in the Sekhukhune district on May 22 and 23.
In North West, the SAPS team deployed in North West arrested 91 suspects involved in illegal mining activities from May 13 to 19.
“Furthermore, the hard work and dedication by the ValaUmgodi team deployed in Mpumalanga paid off when six illegal miners were each sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Graskop Magistrates’ Court last month,” van Wyk added.
“After serving their sentence, the illegal miners will be deported to their respective countries of origin.
“Community members are reminded that illegal mining is a criminal activity that is a contravention of the country’s laws and forms part of many other economic related crimes that are afflicting our society.”
Operation ValaUmgodi is South Africa’s response to dealing decisively with those involved in illicit mining activities in the country.
These operations are being carried out in the seven hotspot provinces — Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Norther Cape and North West.
