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More than 40 illegal miners arrested in separate incidents in the North West

More than 40 illegal miners arrested in separate incidents in the North West

Eyewitness News04-05-2025

JOHANNESBURG - More than 40 zama zamas have been arrested in separate incidents in the North West this week, as police in the province continue with Operation Vala Umgodi to clamp down on illegal mining.
The group, aged between 18 and 47, face various charges, including the Contravention of the Immigration Act.
North West police spokesperson Adele Myburgh said the latest arrests were made in Sun City, Mogwase and Tlhabane.
'All mentioned suspects will appear in the Bafokeng and Mankwe Magistrates' Courts, respectively. The suspects are from different countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Nigeria and Lesotho.'
The North West is among seven provinces impacted by illegal mining, with a massive operation leading to the arrest of hundreds of illegal miners in Stilfontein earlier this year.
Myburgh said police are worried about the involvement of foreign nationals in the commission of crime, threatening the country's national security.
'The involvement of foreign nationals in the commission of crime, whether aided or abetted by South Africans, poses a serious threat to national security and as such requires a collaborative effort by civil society and various government's security and social departments such as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Border Management Authority, Customs/ South African Revenue Services (SARS), Home Affairs Immigration, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).'
ALSO READ: Mantashe admits he has no sympathy for illegal miners who get trapped underground

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Influencer facing animal charges after mocking SPCA's dog rescue
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Influencer facing animal charges after mocking SPCA's dog rescue

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Is the NPA compromised? Shamila Batohi's remarks spark concern
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Is the NPA compromised? Shamila Batohi's remarks spark concern

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The challenges facing Shamila Batohi and the NPA
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IOL News

time14 hours ago

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The challenges facing Shamila Batohi and the NPA

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The NPA depends on the inept and corrupt SAPS, the Hawks, and other law enforcement agencies to effectively perform its duties. Bafana Bafana's Senzo Meyiwa and rapper AKA's high-profile cases illustrate this problem. The Sunday Times reports that Batohi also made claims that the NPA is 'infiltrated' by unscrupulous prosecutors working in cahoots with criminals to deliberately bungle cases. She later backtracked on her serious allegations, presumably after being pressured by the Justice Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi. One suspects that the Minister of Justice is doing some damage control by convincing Batohi to retract her comments about 'infiltration.' Clearly, claims of infiltration make the government appear weak and helpless in the fight against crime. Von Clausewitz once warned that 'war is the continuation of politics by other means.' So is Law. Political interference in legal matters is not something that is unique to South Africa. Apartheid era judges enforced unjust laws, and US presidents continue to appoint judges on an ideological basis. There is reason to believe that political interference is at play in post-apartheid South Africa. The shortage of skills, together with widespread corruption in state institutions, has made her job no easier and her tenure no different from those of her predecessors. One suspects that this is by design to protect powerful politicians from prosecution. Since Batohi took charge of the NPA more than six years ago, not a single high-profile politician has been convicted of corruption charges. This is despite many commissions of inquiry, such as the Zondo commission, that have fingered prominent politicians for wrongdoing and breaking the law. The issue that many people ignore is that prominent politicians such as Jacob Zuma have used delaying tactics to evade justice. So, should Batohi do the honourable thing and resign if she cannot fix the NPA? 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