Johannesburg: The South African Police Service (SAPS) says Vala Umgodi operations continue to be conducted across the country to combat illegal mining and associated criminal activities. The most recent operations have led to the arrest of 142 suspects of different nationalities for illegal mining activities.
According to South African Government News Agency, these suspects were arrested for illegal mining-related offences and various other crimes that include trespassing, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of unpolished diamonds, unlawful possession of explosives, contravention of the Immigration Act, and drug trafficking. Police made several notable arrests and confiscated large quantities of gold-bearing material in the past week.
In a series of targeted interventions, Operation Vala Umgodi teams successfully apprehended 130 undocumented foreign nationals directly involved in illicit mining activities and related offences across the Free State province. Police actions led to the seizure of substantial quantities of gold-bearing material and equipment crucial to these illegal activities, as well as three unlicensed firearms, 16 rounds of ammunition, and a vehicle.
In the Northern Cape, on 17 June 2025, members executed an intelligence-driven operation and arrested 15 suspects for contravention of the Immigration Act, illegal mining activities, and possession of suspected unpolished diamonds in the Koingnaas and Beefmaster illegal mining camps, respectively. The team seized unpolished diamonds and a significant quantity of dagga.
On 19 June 2025, four suspects were arrested for trespassing and contravention of the Immigration Act in the Free State. One suspect was also arrested for the possession of an unlicensed firearm, a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) uniform, dagga, and suspected gold-bearing material. The team also arrested three suspects aged between 45 and 32 years, after being found in possession of gold-bearing material at Theunissen. Police also seized packaged and sealed food items destined for the illegal miners underground, along with explosive detonators.
An intelligence-driven disruptive Vala Umgodi operation conducted at the Clovedene Informal Settlement in Crystal Park, Ekurhuleni in Gauteng, led to the arrest of eight illegal foreign nationals and suspected illegal miners. Police confiscated equipment used for illegal mining activities.
In Limpopo, on 17 June 2025, the Sekhukhune District’s Operation Vala Umgodi team apprehended nine suspects aged between 22 and 44 years for illegal mining and contravention of the Immigration Act. Several items including three wheelbarrows, a generator, a jackhammer, two shovels, three chisels, and bottles of petrol were confiscated.
In KwaZulu-Natal, on 17 June 2025, a 40-year-old Sydwell Shane Mkhantswa appeared briefly in the Kwa-Mbonambi Periodical Court in connection with a case of theft of minerals over R800 000 from Richards Bay Minerals (RBM). Further investigation linked the suspect with another Kwa-Mbonambi case of theft of minerals in which he allegedly delivered RBM minerals to Isipingo in Durban, where police found over R24 million worth of suspected stolen minerals.
‘Operation Vala Umgodi remains committed to dismantling illegal mining syndicates and ensuring law and order to the affected provinces as well as safeguarding the country’s mineral resources,’ the police said.