Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, has assured the community of Riverlea that police are mobilising all their resources and specialised units to restore law and order in the area.
On Monday, Cele led a high level delegation of senior police officers to the area to assess the local police’s responses to illegal mining in the area and other crime challenges raised by the community.
Cele engaged with community leaders and locals in the area and assured them that police are constantly devising strategies and operational plans to combat illegal mining operations in various provinces.
Between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, 1 199 illegal miners were arrested, including 100 South Africans, 1 24 Zimbabweans, 232 Basotho nationals from Lesotho and 79 Mozambicans.
A total of R1.8 million, 9 991 rounds of ammunition and various vehicles and machinery used in mining were seized, amongst other items.
Cele said specialised units will be deployed to the area.
“These specialised units are being brought in to ensure we apprehend these illegal miners and put a stop to these illegal operations.
“Our focus is to ensure law and order is restored in this area. We cannot have a situation where communities live in fear. We are going to deal decisively with these criminals,” said Cele.
Since May 2022, the South African Police Service (SAPS) ensured the establishment of the Economic Infrastructure Task Teams (EITT). Twenty teams have been set up in hotspot areas to combat illegal mining, prevent damage to critical and essential infrastructure, as well as extortion on construction sites.