On Thursday, 25 July 2024, a multi-disciplinary team comprising of members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), assisted by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Immigration Services, Springbok K9 and Port Nolloth Crime Prevention Units, along with Provincial Traffic officers, arrested 22 suspects for illegal mining and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The team operating in the Namakwa District, detained 15 undocumented immigrants during vehicle checkpoints at the Port Nolloth/Kleinsee intersection and Bontakoe informal settlement.
The suspects were detained for processing and verification by the DHA Immigration Services officials, before being formally charged and presented in Court for deportation. In the Frances Baard District, an additional seven suspects were arrested for illegal mining, determined to be undocumented foreign nationals. These seven were then also detained for verification by the DHA Immigration Services Officials.
Numerous mining implements, suspected of being used in illegal mining activities, were confiscated during operations.
These efforts by law enforcement agencies and SANDF personnel assigned under Operation Vala Umgodi have continued to prove successful, the SAPS said, and follow on the previous arrest of nine suspects.
