Thirty-five alleged illegal miners are expected to appear in court soon after they were arrested in the Northern Cape, said the South African Police Service (SAPS).

This follows Operation Vala Umgodi operations that got underway on Saturday.

“The team in the Namakwa District pounced on the Bontekoe informal settlement mining area and arrested 27 Lesotho and Zimbabwean nationals, aged between 20 and 49 years old, for illegal mining and contravention of the immigration statutes.”

The team was also alerted by mine security of intruders inside the Koingnaas mine premises where a 24-year-old Zimbabwean male who was found with unpolished diamonds in his possession, was arrested.

“In the Frances Baard District in Kimberley, the team arrested seven Malawian, Lesotho and Zimbabwean nationals aged between 24 and 54 years old for contravention of the illicit mining and immigration statute. Several illegal mining implements were confiscated,” said the SAPS.

Three wanted suspects were also arrested.