“Operation Vala Umgodi” team members recovered a stolen vehicle from the Western Cape in the remote Northern Cape town of Komaggas while conducting operations to combat illegal mining in the Namakwa District.
“OPERATION Vala Umgodi” team members recovered a stolen vehicle from the Western Cape in the remote Northern Cape town of Komaggas while conducting operations to combat illegal mining in the Namakwa District on March 30.
The vehicle in question had been reported stolen in Milnerton, Cape Town, in December 2023.
The silver Toyota Corolla was confiscated by the vigilant team and a 32-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
Saturday’s intelligence-driven operation also led the team members to a house in Buffelsrivier where dagga, tik and alcoholic beverages were confiscated and an illegal establishment was closed down.
Further arrests followed as the team executed their duties. A 30-year-old suspect was taken into custody for possession of drugs, while in a separate incident two Zimbabwean nationals, aged 30 and 40, were apprehended for contravening the Immigration Act and attempting to bribe a police official.
The Operation Vala Umgodi team also conducted numerous vehicle checkpoints (VCP) in and around known illegal mining hot-spots. These strategic interventions yielded successes as tools suspected to have been used for illegal mining activities were confiscated.
The acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, Major-General Luntu Ngubelanga, commended the team’s unwavering efforts and he praised their dedication in tackling illegal mining and related crimes within the Namakwa District.
