Two 20-year-old suspects were arrested on 12 July 2025 in the Pilgrim’s Rest area of Mpumalanga during Operation Vala Umgodi. The police found the suspects without valid documentation to be in the country and linked them to illicit mining activities at a local plantation.

During the operation, officers uncovered mining equipment including a generator and a water pump, suspected to have been used in the illegal operation.

The suspects face charges under the Immigration Act of South Africa and for engaging in illicit mining. They are scheduled to appear in the Pilgrim’s Rest Periodical Court on 14 July 2025.

Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the arrests and reaffirmed the police’s commitment to intensifying efforts to combat illegal mining in the province.