LIMPOPO – Four illegal miners were arrested in Schilpadnest, Northam on Wednesday (August 3) in possession of mining vehicles, equipment and minerals.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the men, who are between the age of 20 and 40, were arrested during persistent disruptive operations conducted by SAPS, which resulted in the arrest of 52 illegal miners in the past two weeks.
“During the joint operation a Scania Interlink truck with double trailers loaded with minerals, a truck valued at R900 000 and minerals valued at R170 000 were recovered,” he said.
Mojapelo added that an articulated dump truck valued at R1.2m, two excavators valued at R1m and chrome worth R120 000 was found abandoned at the mine.
The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said the arrests reflect the police’s commitment to uprooting all illegal mining activity in Limpopo.
“We hope these arrests willl send a strong message that the police will exercise zero tolerance when dealing with illegal mining,” she said.
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Mojapelo said the suspects will appear before local magistrates court soon as other suspects were arrested in the Sekhukhune District under the Apel and Mecklenburg policing areas.
“Police investigations continue,” he said.
