By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Police have said that claims circulating in videos on social media that heavily armed zama zamas are guarding illegal mining sites in Bapong, North West province, are false.
SAPS National Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said that the individuals depicted in the clips were appointed by the Bapo Ba Mogale Tribal Council.
There was an ongoing joint law enforcement operation that intended to prevent and combat illegal mining, she said.
The posts were “misleading and false,” she said.
Mosikili is the chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS). She made the comments while speaking to the Bapong community, and was accompanied by senior police officials.
“Plans are afoot to ensure we augment [the joint operation] and add to the existing capacity based on what we have uncovered thus far. We have also been briefed on the ongoing operations through Operation Shanela.”
Operation Shanela comprises ongoing high-density operations in every province, led by the provincial police commissioner.
Mosikili told the community that police arrested three illegal miners in the past 24 hours and seized 10 excavators in an Operation Shanela crackdown on illegal mining.
She said police had previously engaged with the Bapo Ba Mogale tribal council and the area administrator on legal requirements relating to mining. On 30 October, the council, led by Kgosi Henry Mogale, told SAPS it planned to strengthen its response by appointing a private security provider.
“Those private security officials that you see on those pictures are actually valid security officials with valid PSIRA (Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority) accreditation,” she said.
“They have been appointed by Bapo Ba Mogale to assist in stopping the illegal mining activities that have already led to loss of lives”.
Before the council’s visit, Mosikili said SAPS undertook a “fact finding mission” and found severe environmental damage linked to illegal mining in the area.
“Homes are caving in, there are no longer roads and they are even digging next to the graveyard. This is really posing a safety and security threat to the livelihoods of our communities,” Mosikili said.
She said illegal mining remained a “complex and dangerous” challenge, often involving undocumented and heavily armed criminals, but added that police operations have yielded results nationally.
Since the inception of Operation Vala Umgodi (which specifically targets illegal mining), Mosikili said, police had made more than 30 000 arrests and seized more than 4 000 illegal and unlicensed firearms, including high-calibre weapons.
“We have also seized thousands of explosives and other illegal mining equipment,” she said.
Mosikili said police were engaging with the departments responsible for mineral resources, forestry, fisheries and environmental affairs, and employment and labour, to support the response in Bapong.
“Going forward, we are establishing a joint operational centre (JOC) to put a stop to these illegal mining activities in this community,” she said.
“The joint centre will consist of officials from SAPS, other law enforcement agencies, other government departments including members of the tribal council”.
She said SAPS was committed to tackling criminality linked to illegal mining, and ensuring government and affected communities worked together to address the problem.
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