The Police at Mankweng in Capricorn District outside Polokwane have apprehended three male suspects aged between 34 and 46 for illegal mining on Monday afternoon, 12 February 2024 in the bush veld near Ga-Mothapo village in Mankweng.

The members were conducting Operation Vala Umgodi when they pounced on the three male suspects who were caught in the act, digging and loading sand into a truck at an illicit mining site without a permit.

In a separate incident on the same day, two male foreign nationals aged 23 and 27, were arrested at Malamulele policing precinct for contravention of section 5(1) of Precious Metal Act and Immigration Act 37 of 2005 at an illegal mining site in Muchipisi.

The Police have confiscated mining equipment that included a white Toyota tipper truck, five picks , two chisels, three ray-wood, five spades, one hammer, one electric cable, six shovels and one generator that were used in the commission of illicit mining at Mankweng and Malamulele respectively.

The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, hailed the joint efforts by the teams involved, which led to the arrest and confiscation of equipment.

The suspects are expected to appear before various Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 14 February 2024.