Hawks led multi-disciplinary operations, arrest 46 illegal miners, one fatally wounded in West Rand

In an ongoing effort to curtail illegal mining in Gauteng Province, the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in West Rand together with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Airwing, K9 unit, Crime Intelligence (CI), Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), Forensic Science Laboratory, Gauteng Traffic Saturation Unit, G4S and Fidelity Security Helicopters, Sibanye Stillwater Protection Services and Eskom officials executed a joint operation that resulted in a resounding success.

The search and seizure operation was attended by the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele, MP, accompanied by Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, Hawks Gauteng Provincial Head, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, and District Commissioner of West Rand, Major General Kekana, was carried out simultaneously on eight (8) premises in Krugersdorp and Randfontein.

A total of forty-six (46) suspects were arrested and one was fatally wounded. The suspects include foreign nationals from neighboring countries and their status in the country is now a subject of an ongoing investigation.

Furthermore seven hundred (700) tons of gold-bearing material surpassing R2.5 million was found in five (5) of the illegal plants uncovered and twenty (20) cell phones were seized for further investigation.

The suspects are expected to appear in court soon to face the charges that include contravention of Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005, Mining Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996, theft, Mineral and Petroleum Recourses Development Act 28 of 2002 and possibly Immigrations Act 13 of 2002.