Zuko Komisa

Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya the South African Police Service (SAPS), has praised the 340 illegal miners who were apprehended in the province of the North West.
When the illegal miners in Orkney surfaced from underground due to dehydration and malnutrition, the arrests were made.
Most of the people who have been detained are citizens of South Africa, Mozambique, and Lesotho.
On Saturday 225 illegal miners resurfaced and on Sunday morning another 340 returned to the surface, taking the total arrested to 565.
“These 225 illegal miners are part of others believed to be hundreds if not a thousand illegal miners who are stuck underground with no food, water and necessities because the Vala Umgodi teams,” said the police.
“Just earlier this week, SAPS and members of the SANDF blocked communities in and around these abandoned mining shifts in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and necessities to these illegal miners, this operation is ongoing, and the SAPS and the SANDF are still monitoring these old abandoned mine shafts as more and more illegal miners resurface,” the SAPS said on Saturday.
Acting police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya said the operation has led to the arrest of more than 13,691 suspects have in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining.
“We are closely monitoring the situation that is unfolding in the North West. We are not backing down until all those illegal miners resurface and are arrested. Since its inception in December 2023 to date, more than 13,691 suspects have been arrested in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining. We have seized R5m in cash and uncut diamonds worth R32m million Operation Vala Umgodi,” said Sibiya.
[VALA UMGODI] An additional 340 illegal miners have resurfaced in Orkney, North West. This brings the total number that has been arrested to 565 as of midday on Sunday, 03 November 2024. Operations are ongoing by SAPS&SANDF to block routes used to provide water& food. Ongoing ops pic.twitter.com/d4gCZtQx1X
— Athlenda Mathe (@AthlendaM) November 3, 2024
Pount of View with Phemelo Motene spoke to Mining Expert, David van Wyk about the problem which appears to have reached crisis levels in the country.
Listen to the full conversation here:
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