WATCH: Police crack down on zama zamas at N12 informal settlement
Three illegal miners were arrested during the police raid.
Rhythmic sounds of a hammer and mallet hitting corrugated iron shacks belonging to illegal miners in the N12 informal settlement echoed through the area on August 31 during a police raid.
The raid was part of the SAPS mission to eradicate illegal mining in various hotspots with the aim of restoring law and order.
SAPS Ekurhuleni district’s Brigadier Fredl Jonck, on behalf of district commissioner Major General Anna Sithole, led a multidisciplinary team on the raid.
When police arrived just before 09:00, most of the illegal miners had already fled. However, three arrests were made.
Police had to forcefully open numerous shacks, which seemingly housed makeshift mineral processors, and confiscated explosives, pendukas, gold-bearing sand, gas cylinders and other tools commonly used during illegal mining activities.
During the operation, crowds of residents gathered outside their homes and looked on while police officers went door-to-door looking for illegal miners.
Also Read: WATCH: The face of illegal mining in Benoni
Speaking to the Benoni City Times, a resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, commended the efforts of the police.
“We are constantly living in fear. At night we don’t get much sleep because we are afraid they (illegal miners) might break into our shacks. Our lives are not safe. A lot of women have been raped here.
“Their illegal mining activities affect us. The soil that they use has a bad stench and the sewerage that they have diverted to their places affects our health. We always ask ourselves why they don’t conduct activities far away from here.
“We are also worried that our children might fall into all these trenches that they have dug to the channel water to where they work. We hear gunshots every day. They fight among themselves and kill each other. We always have to lock ourselves indoors because a fight can break out at any time.”
Anonymous shared that the illegal miners are not South Africans but Zimbabwe and Mozambique nationals. Their bosses are apparently Basotho nationals.
Roadblock
Police officers were also out in full force on the roads conducting roadblocks as part of Operation Shanela. They worked in collaboration with Gauteng traffic officers, EMPD and crime prevention wardens.
The team arrested 35 illegal immigrants, closed down four liquor outlets and eight people were arrested for being in possession of dagga.
Front: Lieutenant Colonel Annelin Wessels and Ekurhuleni district Brigadier Fredl Jonck.
Fifty-three traffic fines to the value of R17 900 were issued to motorists.
A door-to-door awareness campaign was also conducted by members of the social crime prevention and communications in Chief Albert Luthuli area to address issues of gender-based violence and substance abuse. Residents were encouraged to report criminal activities in their communities.
Also Read: Illegal mining site raided near the N12
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