Police Minister Bheki Cele says they have arrested almost 90 suspected kingpins involved in illegal mining. He was speaking during an engagement with residents of Riverlea, south of Johannesburg.
Residents say they’re fearing for their lives due to the ongoing turf wars between rival gangs of illegal miners in the area.
Last weekend, five illegal miners were shot and killed during one such battle.
This resulted in the deployment of specialised police units to the area resulting in the arrest of some 200 suspected illegal miners.
[LATEST] @SAPoliceService have arrested 194 suspects during intensified police operations in #Riverlea and surrounds to arrest #ZamaZama terrorising communities and conducting #IllegalMining pic.twitter.com/Td33ORtgKX
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) August 4, 2023
Cele says they want to make sure that illegal mining kingpins are brought to book.
“That kind of people who are shifting the gold and diamonds out, we have arrested 89 of them. So, don’t tell us we don’t deal with the top guys,” says Cele.
[LONG TERM SOLUTION] Minister Cele says tomorrow morning, all Security Cluster Ministers will be meeting with @PresidencyZA @CyrilRamaphosa and high on agenda in this meeting will be #IllegalMining and long term solutions to this form of organised crime. pic.twitter.com/0EHHEGHjZR
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) August 4, 2023
Police Minister Bheki Cele returns to Riverlea to engage with residents:
