Thirteen foreign nationals were arrested by the police on charges of illicit mining in the Namakwa District of the Northern Cape during Operation Vala Umgodi.
A TOTAL of 13 undocumented persons were arrested on charges of illicit mining in the Namakwa District of the Northern Cape by members of the Public Order Police unit during Operation Vala Umgodi.
The suspects include 12 undocumented Lesotho nationals between the ages of 23 and 45 and one undocumented Zimbabwe national aged 45.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said 190 mining implements including jackhammers, drills, spotlights, grinders, generators, shovels, sand sieves, pickaxes, chisels, hand hammers, screwdrivers and pliers were seized during the operation on January 10.
“Operation Vala Umgodi will continue unabated to curb illicit mining,” said Ehlers.
