Nelspruit: 13 October 2023 - Pilgrims Rest is one of the well known areas where illegal mining activities are conducted in Mpumalanga. A number of casualties and fatalities have been reported in the past in areas where illegal mining activities are conducted. Police in Mpumalanga has taken to themselves to bring an end to such activities to save lives and protect the country precious materials.
An operation was conducted on Tuesday where a number of equipments used during illegal mining activities were seized. Police recovered six generators, four water pumps, five 14kg oxygen gas bottles, three 9kg gas bottles, three 19kg gas bottles, seven Phendukas, seven Phenduka motors, four shovels as well as one small mass weighing scale. All the items were found abandoned when the suspected illegal miners saw police fled the scene. Six people were also found in the bushes, five of them undocumented Mozambican nationals and one undocumented Zimbabwean national.
All suspects appeared in Graskop Magistrate's Court on 12 October 2023.
The Zimbabwean national was released on R2 000 fine whilst the remaining five were remanded in custody for different dates ranging from 16 October 2023 to 19 October 2023. The South African Police Service in Mpumalanga promised to conduct such operations until the province is free from illegal mining activities.