Total of 31 illegal miners denied bail

Police want to ensure that the recently arrested illegal miners remain behind bars for defying orders by authorities about illegal mining

Sep 17, 2022 - 14:17

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A total of 31 illegal miners were denied bail following their arrest for defying orders from the police.

ILLEGAL MINERS DEFY ORDERS FROM AUTHORITIES

Police spokesperson Captain Solomon Sibiya said police went out in full force in Rietvallei to remove illegal miners who have chosen to defy orders by police and local authorities to stop their illegal mining activities.

In a fully-fledged intensified operation comprising of local crime prevention Police, National Public Order Policing, NIU (National Intervention Unit), Mounted Unit, Infrastructure Unit, Westrand K9 Unit and Sibanye Stillwater, a total of 31 illegal miners were arrested.

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Various police units swoop on illegal miners in Kagiso. Photo: SAPS/ Facebook.

POLICE DISCLOSE THEIR OBJECTIVE FOR OPERATION

“The operation not only focused on arrests but also to shut down shafts and holes from which the foreign law transgressors were operating, using a TLB and a truck to load illegal mining equipment.”
Sibiya

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He added that the illegal mining equipment seized included 23 pendukas, 59 bags of soil, gas bottles, cutting torches, water pumps, shovels, electric eventing cords, electric motors and steel balls and three giant generators.
“Such operations will be sustainable and intensified until we are satisfied that these perpetrators are no more in existence, no matter how long this will take, we won’t rest”, emphasized the acting station head of Kagiso Police Colonel Peter Mabuso.

ARRESTED ZAMA-ZAMAS TO SPEND MORE TIME IN JAIL

Sibiya also mentioned that all arrested suspects have since appeared before the Kagiso Magistrate’s Court this week and were remanded in custody.

“They will all be denied bail,” Sibiya indicated.

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The focus on illegal mining follows the gang rape of eight girls in an old mine dump in Krugersdorp in July. The victims were part of a crew that was held up by the illegal miners while shooting a music video. Over 60 illegal miners were arrested when the police raided the secluded area and began profiling the suspects linked to the rape. At least seven out of the lot were charged for the rape.