Thirty undocumented people were arrested by operatives of Operation Vala uMgodi during a roadblock on the N1 road near Ventersburg.
The intensified operation was held from Monday, 7 October. Teams that form part of Operation Vala uMgodi executed various interactions to increase police visibility and to eradicate illicit mining.
On Sunday, 13 October, a roadblock was manned by role players in the Road Freight and Logistics task team, Department of Employment and Labour, Department of Home Affairs, provincial traffic department, and the police. The aim of the operation was to conduct on-the-spot inspections, to address concerns raised by the All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa (ADTF ASA) forum and the Road Freight Association (RFA), to ensure compliance according to the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI).
A bus headed towards the Western Cape was stopped and searched. Inside the mega coach were 129 passengers, which comprised 107 adults and 22 children. The trip list only contained 53 names. The task team conducted the inspection of documents which resulted in them arresting 30 people for being in South Africa without proper travel documents.
On the same day, the team arrested a 38-year-old man in possession of gold-bearing material and gold processing equipment in Phomolong, near Welkom.
They confiscated gold-bearing material weighing 22,58 kg and miscellaneous tools used in the illegal gold-processing trade. A case of possession of suspected gold-bearing material and processing equipment was opened at the Welkom Police Station.
As a result of the good collaboration between the police and private security companies at Kopanong Mine, a 27-year-old man was arrested as he was surfacing from illegal mining operations underground. He was found in possession of seven gold-bearing amalgam nuggets, cellphones, and notes from underground. A case of illegal mining and trespassing in a mine area, attempted theft of state minerals and precious metals, and contravention of the Immigration Act were opened.
Operations continued and operators followed up on information, which led them to a house in Virginia. A number of men who had been brought from Stilfontein and Klerksdorp with the promise of employment, were found hidden a garage. Eight of them were arrested as illegal immigrants.
Still on Sunday, the teams intercepted suspected stolen property in Lindi Street, Welkom. A 26-year-old man was found in possession of housebreaking implements. The police also found and a 32-inch Hisense plasma television, an LG DVD-player, and a number of music CDs. A case of possession of presumably stolen property was opened at the Welkom Police Station.
The team operationalised intelligence and searched a house in Bailey Street, Reitspark, Welkom.
Here, dagga weighing 665 kg was confiscated. The owner of the house was not present at the time of the police raid.
In a separate case, a search warrant was executed at Groenpunt Farm in the Boshof area. An enquiry docket was opened when the police found 39 sheep, 17 cattle, and eight goats that the farm owner could not account for.
