Operation Vala Umgodi confiscates illegal mining equipment in the Namakwa District

Media Statement
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner Northern Cape

The multi-disciplinary illicit mining operation "Vala Umgodi" by SAPS, SANDF and DHA are increasingly limiting the illicit mining activities in the Namakwa District by depriving criminals their operational tools.

The police operational activities in Kommagas, Buffelsrivier and Kleinsee on Wednesday, 07 February 2024 included executing search warrants, stop and searches, the tracking of undocumented immigrants, clamping down on the illegal trading of abalone, combating transit crimes and conducting routine vehicle inspections.

The police arrested three (03) suspects for contravention of the Illicit mining Act and confiscated numerous illicit mining equipment, including generators, jack hammers, bags with gravel, sieves, hand hammers, batteries, a blue classifier and a panga. The total estimated value of the confiscated items amounts to more than R287 000-00.

The suspects will appear in their respective Magistrate Courts soon.

The Northern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola commended the multi-disciplinary team for squeezing the operational space of illicit mining perpetrators.

She said that the increasing confiscation of illicit mining equipment is an effective way of depriving the criminals of their illicit gains.
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Sergeant Timothy Sam
082 494 9981

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