A major multi-agency operation targeting illegal mining activities in Mpumalanga has resulted in the seizure of illicit mining equipment and the arrest of four suspects at the Majax Informal Settlement in the Pilgrim’s Rest policing area.

The operation was led by the Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, together with the Ehlanzeni District Commissioner, Major General D. Xaba, as part of an ongoing illegal mining stabilisation drive in the province.

A multidisciplinary task team was deployed, comprising members of SAPS, the K9 Unit, Public Order Policing, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation(DPCI), the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency, the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), and the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality.

During the operation, four suspects aged between 25 and 65 were arrested for various offences, including contravention of the Immigration Act, dealing in dagga, possession of illicit cigarettes, and possession of illicit liquor. An additional individual was also issued with a fine for selling liquor without a valid licence.

Law enforcement agencies further confiscated a range of illegal mining equipment, including motors, phendukas, and other tools commonly used in unlawful mining activities.

According to SAPS, the operation forms part of intensified, intelligence-driven efforts to combat illegal mining across Mpumalanga. Authorities say these stabilisation interventions are aimed at dismantling illegal mining networks, confiscating equipment used in criminal activities, enforcing compliance with relevant legislation, and restoring law and order in affected communities.

The South African Police Service in Mpumalanga has reiterated its commitment to working closely with government departments and key stakeholders to ensure sustained action against illegal mining and related criminal activities across the province.