A lengthy, large-scale operation focusing on illegal mining was conducted in Matholesville on September 16.
Roodepoort Police were assisted by officials from City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Metro Police Department, City Power and private security companies, and together they disrupted illegal mining operations and removed illegal electricity connections, sending another warning to criminal elements in the area.
The uniformed collective gathered at a nearby shopping mall before making their way to the notorious illegal mining hotspot. Armed with a TLB tipper, entrances to illegal mining shafts were documented for observation, exposed electrical cabling were recovered and infrastructure used to process illegally mined ore were dismantled or crushed.
This is the second operation of this nature in the space of a few weeks as the same role players carried out a similar operation on August 25. The threats illegal mining pose include the destruction of roads and poisoning of water sources through the use of mercury to process the ore, while illegal electricity connections pose a great risk to lives and municipal infrastructure.
“Residents must help us by reporting illegal activity. Please do not allow your community to make these illegal connections or conduct illegal mining. The roads are aging and this causes accidents, potholes and road surfaces to cave in,” explained Roodepoort Police station commander, Colonel Lukas Nkosi. Residents can report illegal activity by calling the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or by using the My Saps app.
