Maseru, Apr. 30 — The South African Police Service (SAPS) through the integrated ‘Vala Umgodi’ operation conducted in Tlhatlanganyane village outside Rustenburg have arrested 141 undocumented Lesotho and Zimbabwe nationals on Sunday.
In an interview, North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said that out of the 141 arrested suspects, 74 are Basotho while 67 are Zimbabweans. He said that the operation was conducted by SAPS together with South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) as well as Department of Mineral Resources & Energy, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental and Rustenburg ER24.
He said that the suspects were found and arrested at Tlhatlaganyane village illegal mining site.
He indicated that during the operation, the team confiscated the following items: 59 Generators, 46 jack hammers, Five gas cylinders, 49 wheelbarrows, 21 shovel, 30 spades, 13 pickaxes, one fork spade, 27 hammers, four saws, one roll of extension cord, three heater pumps, one cylinder pipe, one tools box, three (1 litre) grease cleaners and two Chisels.
He stated that all suspects were expected to appear in the Mankwe Magistrates’ Court Mogwase on Monday facing charges of contravention of the Immigration Act, 2002.
He added that the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena thanked the team for their commitment towards addressing illegal mining activities.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that there are 100,000 to around half a million Lesotho nationals in South Africa.
