The South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Operation Vala Umgodi has led to the resurfacing of 225 illegal miners in Orkney, North West, as these miners, deprived of food and water, emerged from underground due to starvation and dehydration. This operation, led by SAPS in collaboration with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), aims to cut off supply routes to illegal miners by blocking access to the abandoned mines.
Earlier this week, SAPS and SANDF units prevented local communities around Orkney from delivering essential supplies to the miners trapped underground, further strengthening law enforcement’s control over these sites. This strategy appears to be effective, as a growing number of illegal miners are surfacing.
Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, Acting National Commissioner of SAPS, commended the Vala Umgodi task teams in the North West province, emphasizing that the operation is yielding successful results nationwide. “We are monitoring the situation in the North West closely, and we will continue until every illegal miner has been accounted for and faces justice,” said Lt. Gen. Sibiya. Since the operation began in December 2023, more than 13,691 individuals involved in illegal mining across seven high-risk provinces have been arrested, with significant seizures totaling R5 million in cash and uncut diamonds valued at R32 million.
The majority of the individuals detained are South African, Mozambican, and Basotho nationals, with updates on other nationalities to follow as the operation progresses. Authorities continue to monitor abandoned mine shafts across the region, maintaining pressure to prevent illegal mining activities and ensure the rule of law.
