SAPS and SANDF Crack Down on Illegal Miners, 225 People Forced to the Surface Due to Starvation

• 225 illegal miners were forced to resurface from underground due to starvation and dehydration
• Police have been cutting off the community's supply of resources to the illegal miners
• Hundreds, if not a thousand, miners are still believed to be underground in the North West area

NORTH WEST – The issue of illegal mining has been thrust into the spotlight once more following the work done by Vala Umgodi.

Vala Umgodi task teams led by the SAPS and SANDF are blocking routes that are used to deliver food and necessities to illegal miners.

This recently forced hundreds of miners to the surface as a result of starvation and dehydration.

225 Illegal miners resurface from underground mine

Acting National Commissioner of SAPS, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, confirmed earlier that 225 people were forced to resurface from underground in Orkney. This comes after police efforts led to them starving and dehydrating.

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Police believe that there are hundreds, if not a thousand, illegal miners who are stuck underground with no food, water or necessities because of the work done by Vala Umgodi teams.

SAPS and SANDF members blocked communities in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and necessities to these illegal miners earlier in the week, and this is now yielding positive results.

Police pleased with results

The operation is ongoing, but SAPS are thrilled with the progress made thus far.

They have also promised to continue monitoring the situation in the province, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya said. He confirmed:

“We are closely monitoring the situation that is unfolding in the North West province. We are not backing down until all those illegal miners resurface and are arrested.

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“Since its inception in December 2023 to date, more than 13,691 suspects have been arrested in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining.”

Illegal mining operation discovered

In a related article, Briefly News reported how illegal mining was being conducted from inside a house.

Two people were arrested for the operation after police discovered a tunnel in one of the rooms of the home.

The discovery left South Africans amused, as they couldn't believe how bold and creative criminals had become.

Source: Briefly News