122 Suspected Illegal Miners Arrested in Massive West Rand Pre-Dawn Raid
- At least 122 suspected illegal miners were arrested during a joint operation on Gauteng's West Rand on 29 September
- SAPS, SANDF, the Hawks, Home Affairs immigration officers and Sibanye-Stillwater's security team took part in the pre-dawn raid
- Five firearms, ammunition, illegal mining equipment and gold-bearing material were recovered during the operation
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GAUTENG — At least 122 suspected illegal miners have been arrested on the West Rand following a large-scale pre-dawn operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies and a private mining security team.
The arrests were made on 29 September during Operation Prosper, also known as Operation Karabo, a joint initiative between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The operation was conducted in Mphahla village, within the Fochville policing precinct.
Agencies and forces deployed in the raid
The operation drew together several units from SAPS Gauteng, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI, also known as the Hawks), immigration officers from the Department of Home Affairs, and the tactical security team of mining company Sibanye-Stillwater.
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SANDF members moved in at 03:00 to cordon off the area before police and Sibanye-Stillwater's team advanced to conduct the operation.
Firearms, equipment and gold-bearing material seized
Five firearms were recovered during the raid, including three pistols, one AK-47 rifle and a homemade pistol, along with a quantity of ammunition. Officers also confiscated illegal mining equipment described as phendukas and gas cylinders, as well as gold-bearing material. The exact quantity of the seized items has not been disclosed.
SAPS confirmed that Operation Prosper is an ongoing initiative targeting illegal mining activities and related criminal conduct across Gauteng.
62 zama-zamas arrested in the East Rand
In similar news, sixty-two undocumented illegal miners have been arrested in the Putfontein area on the East Rand and are currently being held at the Benoni Police Station today, 7 May 2026. According to SABC News, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) said the suspects, aged between 18 and 39, were arrested during a multi-disciplinary operation targeting illegal mining activities.
225 illegal miners arrested during Operation Vala Mgodi
Previously, Briefly News reported that 225 illegal miners were forced to resurface from underground due to starvation and dehydration in November 2024. Police had been cutting off the community's supply of resources to the illegal miners. Operation Vala Umgodi task teams led by the SAPS and SANDF blocked 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.
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Source: Briefly News
