Police Minister Bheki Cele Heads Back to Krugersdorp, Police Arrest Over 40 Illegal Miners

• Police Minister Bheki Cele was in Krugersdorp on Tuesday to lead a police operation to arrest illegal miners
• The operation has led to the arrest of 42 "zama zamas" known to operate in the area
• South Africans have mixed reactions to the police's initiative to arrest the illegal miners, however, many welcomed the arrests

KRUGERSDORP - Minister of Police Bheki Cele has returned to Krugersdorp after eight women were gang raped by a group of illegal miners in West Village last week.

Cele returned to the area accompanied by police officers, tactical response teams, a K-9 unit, the Hawks, and private security guards to locate the illegal miners.

Cele's spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, took to social media to announce that more than 40 people have been arrested so far as a result of the raid. She explained that police are specifically focussing on zama zamas.

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Themba also posted videos of the premises where the illegal miners were found and where they lived.

Man shot in Krugersdorp

According to News24, the police found a man lying on the ground near the abandoned mine where the women were assaulted. The police believe that he was shot and he was fortunately found on time and rushed to the hospital.

Reports indicate that the man was found at around 10:30am on Tuesday morning and there is currently no indication why he was shot yet.

South Africans react

Many South Africans weighed on the police operation in Krugersdorp. Some people stated that it is tragic that such operations are taking place because horrific crimes happened in the area.

Others welcomed the effort and called for more operations in other areas.

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@LukheleSporo said:

"It's just unfortunate and regrettable that it had to take the brutal raping of the innocent to jolt Cele and his @SAPoliceService to do something they should've done a long time ago. It's PATHETIC, REGRETTABLE, DISGUSTING & DOWNRIGHT REPREHENSIBLE☹️"

@TebohoSelepe1 said:

"These operations must be done nationwide not only where there was a problem and stop being reactive and do your job diligently cause this is not a favour. South African citizens need to be protected by all means..."

@AndrewManaka said:

"It will be nice if they can do the same operation in Orkney Stilfontien next to Khuma, there's lots of zama zamas."

@PogisoMthimunye said:

"This is one of the things you should not tell us. Do it early in the morning, in private, unannounced and tell us the next day."

Bheki Cele says Krugersdorp victims need space to process trauma after their addresses were leaked online

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Briefly News previously reported that Police Minister Bheki Cele has pleaded with South Africans, particularly the media, to give the eight women who were gang raped in Krugersdorp time and space to process their trauma.

Cele was able to meet with some of the victims and their families at Alexandra Police Station on Sunday, 31 July.

The women, aged between 19 and 35, were part of a group of people who were shooting a music video near a mine dump on Thursday, 28 July, when a group of men, believed to be zama zamas (illegal miners), robbed the filming crew and brutally gang raped the women.

Source: Briefly News