MORE than 30 illegal miners were arrested on Thursday, 1 September.
This was done during operation Okae Molao led by Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko and Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela.
The Gauteng police disrupted an illegal mining operation in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.
“Suspected illegal miners who are aged between 13 and 54 were found with explosives and other equipment used for illegal mining. The police destroyed the structures used as workshops and hiding places by the illegal miners, said Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo.
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Masondo said that suspects will be charged for illegal mining activities and illegal possession of explosives, among other crimes.
“They will be processed by Home Affairs as they are suspected to be undocumented foreigners,” he added.
Masondo said that the multidisciplinary operation started with the tracing of wanted suspects in the province where more than 1 050 people who have been on the run were traced and arrested.
