The Citizen reports that the military, police, and Hawks swooped down to close an illegal mining operation in the North West recently, arresting over 140 suspected undocumented foreigners in the process.

The suspects were nabbed in Tlhatlaganyane village outside Rustenburg. They were expected to appear in Mankwe Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face charges of contravening the Immigration Act. The 141 suspects are mainly from Lesotho and Zimbabwe. The arrest also gave a glimpse into the equipment needed to run a minor illegal mine. Among the tools confiscated were 59 generators, 46 jackhammers, five gas cylinders, 49 wheelbarrows, 30 spades and 21 shovels. The scourge of illegal mining has spread across the country, with miners often linked to other serious crimes. Recently, reports of miners hiring assassins to take out members of rival groups have increased. But, the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster has previously stressed that the government was dealing with the issue of illegal mining. It revealed that between April and August last year, more than 7,000 suspects involved in illegal mining were arrested for contravening immigration regulations.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kyle Zeeman at The Citizen

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