Police arrested 113 illegal miners in the Evander area in Mpumalanga on Friday.
The arrests were part of an operation carried out by members of Crime Prevention and the K9 unit in the Secunda cluster which concentrated on searching for dangerous weapons and narcotic drugs‚ closing down shebeens as well as tracing undocumented foreigners and wanted suspects.
“All the arrested will appear at the Evander Magistrate's Court on Monday‚ facing various charges‚” Mpumalanga police said.
Provincial police commissioner for Mpumalanga Lieutenant-General Mondli Zuma said the operation and arrests demonstrated the resolve of of police “to stamp the authority of the state as provided for in Operation Fiela II”.
"Our people cannot continue living in fear of the notorious so-called zama zamas (illegal miners) and other criminal elements‚" Zuma said.
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