Africa-Press – Mozambique. At least 79 Mozambicans out of a total of around 1,200 illegal miners arrested since April last year in South Africa as part of the fight against illegal mining in several provinces are Mozambican, the South African police have announced.
“Between 01 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, 1,199 illegal miners were arrested, including 100 South Africans, 124 Zimbabweans, 232 Basotho nationals from Lesotho and 79 Mozambicans,” the security force reported.
“R1.8 million rands, 9,991 rounds of ammunition, 177 vehicles, 7 trucks, 771 digging tools, five TLBs, 233 phendukas and 771 digging tools were seized, amongst other items,” reads a statement released by SAPS after a visit by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele,to Riverlea, south of Johannesburg, on Monday.
The South African Minister recently visited the suburb of Riverlea, south of Johannesburg, where armed clashes between rival groups of illegal miners, known locally as “Zama Zamas” caused at least five deaths last weekend, according to the local press.
The police on Monday (01-08) deployed “all their resources” and special units to “contain the violence and restore law and order in the community”, the South African security force announced.
“These specialised units are being brought in to ensure we apprehend these illegal miners and put a stop to these illegal operations. Our focus is to ensure law and order is restored in this area. We cannot have a situation where communities live in fear, and we are going to deal decisively with these criminals,” the South African Minister of Police said.
Last month, a gas leak linked to illegal mining killed 17 people in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg South Africa’s economic capital.
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