SA conducting operations to thwart illegal mining
The SAPS Airwing, Tactical Response Team (TRT), Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), Crime Intelligence, Detective Services, South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and Department of Home Affairs’ joint venture continue to deal harshly with illegal mining, trespassing in the mining environment, and illegal immigration in Welkom, Thabong and also at the Kopanong mine in Vierfontein.
The arrested illegal immigrants are from Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and eight men were arrested for illegal mining, trespassing, conspiracy to commit crime, possession of suspected gold-bearing material, possession of suspected stolen properties, and illegal immigration.
A concerned Thabong resident gave information about a general worker who stole tuberculosis (TB) tablets at a clinic in Thabong. “The information was operationalised on 21 June and a 36-year-old employee was arrested for theft of medication,” says Capt. Stephen Thakeng, media liaison officer for the Lejweleputswa police.
Between 20 and 23 June, there were 14 vehicle check points, 62 stop-and-search operations (during which 127 people and 46 vehicles were searched), 11 bush foot patrols, 13 mines and two power stations patrolled, and 13 malls visited seven times. They also patrolled six automatic teller machines (ATMs) during these extensive operations.
The Airwing conducted two drone flights in a field on the Hennenman road.
The arrested suspects appeared in court in Viljoenskroon and Welkom on Monday, 24 June.