Pretoria - The Hawks in Limpopo have arrested six more illegal miners at Muyexe and Xikukwani in Giyani during a crackdown across the province.
Speaking to the Pretoria News yesterday, Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said four of the suspects were arrested after information was received about illegal mining at the two areas.
“A disruptive operation, led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit and assisted by the Illegal Mining Provincial Task Team, the Tactical Response Team, and Burgersfort and Giyani Public Order Police, was conducted after we received information of zama zamas roaming the area.
“During the operation, four alleged illegal miners, who are suspected to be foreign nationals, aged between 21 and 25, were arrested.
“The operation continued and led the team to an unlawful gold refinery in the same area.
“Two suspects aged 27 and 45 were also arrested.
“The team seized mining equipment such as a generator, a jack hammer, gold weighing scales, LED light, torches, a pick and gold bearing material.”
Maluleke said the suspects were expected to appear in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court today on charges of contravening the Precious Metals Act.
The province has experienced a surge in illegal mining in recent days, especially in Sekhukhune.
A few weeks ago the Hawks seized chrome ore valued at more than R600 000 at Tjibeng village in Mecklenburg outside Burgersfort, where residents engage in illegal mining to feed their families.
They target abandoned mines and extract minerals.
Last month four illegal miners, all Basotho, were shot and killed in what was described as a turf war between illegal miners.
Police discovered the body of an alleged illegal miner with gunshot wounds tied to a tree.
The next day three more bodies were found at the farm where there is a disused mine shaft at Roodepoort outside Polokwane.
Pretoria News