An alleged illegal miner, Sanele Richard Nyathi (49), was arrested in the early hours of
Tuesday in Ogies, Mpumalanga. According to a media statement from the Provincial
Commissioner’s office, Nyathi was caught red-handed operating an excavator at a
mining site by security personnel who alerted the police.

Upon arrival around 3 am, police found Nyathi actively mining and took him into
custody. Preliminary investigations suggest he was collaborating with others in these
illegal activities. Nyathi appeared in the Ogies Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where
he was remanded in custody pending a formal bail application set for April 3rd.

The case has been handed over to detectives of Operation Vala Umgodi, the police’s
dedicated team combating illegal mining. The excavator used by Nyathi was also seized
as evidence. Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney
Manamela welcomed the arrest, warning that those involved in illegal mining will face
the full force of the law.

Illegal mining remains a serious problem in mineral-rich provinces like Mpumalanga.
This arrest demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to clamping down on such
activities that rob the country of vital resources.