Concerted efforts by the South African Police Service in Limpopo to deal with illegal mining continue to yield positive results, following mining equipment recovery at Driekop Mine outside Burgersfort on 14 December 2022.
Various units including the Provincial Organized Crime Unit, the DPCI, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the Provincial Task Team and Home Affairs at Mooihoek village in Driekop conducted these disruptive operations. In the process, they found abandoned illegal mining equipment.
It is believed that while the Multi-Disciplinary Team was busy with the disruptive operation, the illegal miners spotted them and fled to evade arrest, thus leaving their mining equipment on the scene.
The following equipment was confiscated during the operation:
- 8 x motor generators.
- 12 × Jackhammers.
- 1× Shovel.
- 1x Spade.
- 10 x Jack hammer chisels.
- 1× Wheelbarrows.
Twelve (12) undocumented foreign nationals were also arrested during the operation.
The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe hailed the collaborative effort by the teams involved.
“We believe that with this kind of Commitment and continuous Operations, we will win this fight against illegal Mining,” concluded Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The arrested foreign nationals will appear before Praaktiseer Magistrate Court soon, facing charges of contravention of the Immigration Act.
#SaferFestiveSeason #MoreBootsOnTheGround
