UPDATE: Another illegal mining site at Elpaso in Witbank
Media Statement issued by the office of the Provincial Commissioner in Mpumalanga .
Nelspruit: 21 January 2022 – As a continuation of an intelligence driven operation which started on Monday 17 January, which consisted of Visible Policing, POPS, Detective Service, Crime Intelligence, DMRE and the Security from Anglo American, the team seized additional nine mining machineries.
This time they were found on another illegal mining site, at Elpaso in Witbank Policing precinct.
The site was formerly used by Anglo-American as their official mining site.
It is suspected that the illegal miners fled and left their equipment on the site.
This followed an operation which was conducted at Schoongezight coal dump on Tuesday, 18 Jan, 2022 in which 17 suspects were taken for questioning and several mining machineries were seized.
The Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney vowed that the operation will not end until the police totally eradicate illegal mining.
Media Enquiries:
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala
071 353 6955
