More than five suspected illegal mining kingpins arrested in the West Rand
The arrests were carried out by the Hawks in the early hours of the morning and several high-performance vehicles were seized during the crackdown.
Law-enforcement agencies are pouncing on illegal miners in different parts of the West Rand and have arrested more than five suspects in Carletonville and Khutsong, believed to be illegal-mining kingpins.
Also read: Cops target illegal mining in Rietvallei: ‘We won’t rest
The Hawks, joined by officials from the Department of Home Affairs, made the arrests in the early hours of October 4.
Speaking to ENCA during the interview at the scene, West Rand District Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana said, “Things are looking very good and it’s pleasing. I think everyone who didn’t have trust in the police, especially in the specialised units that might take some time to deal with cases, must feel humbled to say, ‘The police are there to serve and do what is expected of them’.
Also read: Another 50 arrested for illegal mining
“This operation by the Hawks shows that the police are doing the best they can with their resources.
“We will leave no stone unturned and to those who are still out there, either you hand yourself in or we will be knocking on your door,” said Kekana who added that investigations into more illegal mining activities are underway.
The suspects are believed to be from Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Law enforcement also seized several luxury high-performance vehicles during their operation.
Illegal mining has been a thorn in the side of the different communities on the West Rand, and numerous arrests have been made thus far.
Also read: Mining companies to blame for illegal mining problem on West Rand – ANC
The arrests were sparked by the incident in July, when eight woman were raped by a group of illegal miners in West Village in Krugersdorp while they were shooting a music video with their film crew.
