POLOKWANE – A Zimbabwean and Lesotho foreign national will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of illegal mining and contravention of the Immigration Act, each following their arrest on Wednesday (September 14).
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said police followed up on a tip-off from the community regarding illegal mining in the Bergeneck area outside Polokwane involving a high number of undocumented foreigners from neighbouring countries.
“A joint operation involving the Department of Minerals and Energy, tactical response and provincial tracking teams, Westenburg police, crime intelligence, public order policing and Home Affairs immigration officials pounced on the illegal mining site and two suspects were arrested,” Mojapelo said.
He added that a number of other undocumented foreigners abandoned their equipment and evaded arrest by fleeing on foot in different directions.
Property worth R120 000 was confiscated at the site including a small packet containing gold, generators, rolls of electric cable, motors and explosives.
“Investigations continue,” he said.
