Police deploy spesialised units in West Rand to flush out illegal miners

The Police Ministry is confident that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has the capabilities to deal with illegal miners who are terrorising communities on the West Rand.

As part of ongoing police efforts to combat illicit mining and associated crimes on the West Rand, the police will step up their operations, deploy necessary resources and specialised units of the service to keep residents living in the epicentre of illegal mining safe.

Also read: The fight against illegal mining gets momentum

In a statement issued on Sunday, August 7, Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said the Ministry and SAPS management led a two-day Crime Combating Imbizo in West Village in Krugersdorp and another in the Kagiso area on the West Rand over the weekend.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura and members of his Executive Council, officials from the Department of Home Affairs as well as the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy also attended the community meetings. Residents of both communities expressed their concerns about violent crimes allegedly committed by illegal miners whom residents refer to as ‘blanket people’ or so-called zama zamas.

Also read: Police out on the West Rand to catch the ‘big fish’: Another 40 zama zamas arrested

“Residents claim the majority of gender-based violence (GBV) crimes are committed by the illegal miners who are often heavily armed, and many of them are undocumented foreign nationals. The Izimbizo resulted in numerous complaints of police corruption, and the local police not responding adequately to their policing needs.”

Police Minister General Bheki Cele has since ordered a full SAPS clean-up on the West Rand as an immediate policing intervention.

No community must be prisoners of crime and ruthless criminals who act without impunity. Residents have the right to feel safe and to sleep at night. This is why the police must be seen and must be felt while the sealing of mines is expedited by those responsible,” Cele said.

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola also committed more boots on the ground.

“We as the police will respond through action. We will deploy the highly trained TRT, NIU and Special Task Force and K9 teams to make sure we flush out all undesirable elements in this area. Whoever comes with fire will be met with fire. We ask for space to conduct these operations and request the community to assist us, work closely with us and ensure we bring perpetrators to book through court processes.”

Cele added the allegations of police corruption and inadequate service delivery at stations will be probed at a provincial level and acted on. The Minister also acknowledged the community’s call for the South African Defence Force (SANDF) to be deployed.

The request to bring in the army will be considered when the need arises. This process takes a long time; however, in the meantime the police’s response to flush out these zama zamas will continue and will be bolstered by reinforcement of these specialised units who will be deployed here while government works on a broader plan to tackle the whole value chain of illicit mining and its benefactors,” concluded Cele.

Police have since established multi-disciplinary Economic Infrastructure Task Teams made up of different specialised units partnering with private security, government departments as well as business.

Also read: Illegal mining clampdown in the West yields results: Arrests now total 130

“The collaboration aims at preventing and combating economic and critical infrastructure related crimes, including illicit mining across all nine provinces within identified districts per province. These task teams have hit the ground running where intelligence-gathering and analysis remain among the key operational approaches.”

The Police Ministry applauded the community of Kagiso for exercising restraint and handing over the suspected illegal miners during their protest against illegal miners last week. The Ministry is also appealing to residents to work with the police and bring forward information that can assist police interventions and operations.