The provincial Vala Umgodi operation has made more than 4,000 arrests since it started, and it includes not only illegal miners, but also cases of murder, essential infrastructure, being in the country illegally, and possession of gold-bearing material, to name a few.

In an interview with OFM News, the Vala Umgodi Tactical Joint Operational Centre’s (TACJOC) crime analyst Capt. Nonkoliso Mpofana explained that it becomes difficult when they are dealing with a community that believes what they are doing is right.

“To them, it’s their means of survival according to their understanding, they are doing it to get money at the end of the day, so it becomes illicit mining deployment against the community, this makes it difficult,” said Mpofana.

“However, we have to find means of working with the community in terms of collecting information because somebody somewhere knows what is happening in the community.”

So, this involves infiltrating the community to get the information. Afterwards, the information is analysed, so it is not as easy as one would think because to them it’s like we are working against them, she said.

In continuing with disruptive actions against illicit mining hotspots in the province, six suspects aged between 37 and 47 will appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court soon after they were arrested during bush patrols at the Beatrix Mine, Old African Rainbow Mineral Shaft area, and G-Hostel in Thabong.

Water pump generators, water connector hoses, spades, and other gold processing equipment were confiscated at Beatrix Mine. Photo supplied

Four case dockets of trespassing in the mine area, possession of suspected gold-bearing material, and contravention of the Immigration Act were opened at Theunissen police station, and another two were opened at the Welkom police station.

The police seized gold-bearing material weighing 41.20 kg. Gold processing equipment such as a 14 kg oxygen cylinder, 9kg gas bottle, cutting torch, stumper and stumper pots, water pump generators, and connector pipes were also seized at the Beatrix mine, Old ARM mine, and the G-Hostel in Thabong.

Sgt Mangaliso, Col. Ndzotyana, Capt. Ntuli, WO Molikoe, Capt. Mpofana, and WO Khoebane. Photo: Zenande Mpame

“The response from other community members has been positive. They believe that illegal mining is a crime. We have also noticed that there is a lot of crime connected to illegal mining, such as murder, attempted murders, robberies, and business robberies, to name a few,” said Mpofana.

“Where there is resistance from community members, we have to instil it in their minds that we must work together, and that we are here to assist them at the end of the day.”

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg