The SAPS has demonstrated its seriousness in fighting against illicit mining and other criminal activities by destroying a makeshift bridge near Beitbridge border between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Police said that in a concerted effort to prevent and combat serious crimes, last week they destroyed a “man-made” bridge which was built over the Limpopo River near the Beitbridge Port of Entry.
SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant -Colonel Amanda van Wyk said border policing members deployed on the South African/Zimbabwean borderline found the bridge while patrolling the border fence line.
Van Wyk said the illegal bridge was less than 1km east of Beitbridge Port of Entry and reportedly used to smuggle goods and people into and out of South Africa.
“Through the expertise of the SAPS’s Explosive Section, the bridge was successfully destroyed ahead of Limpopo province’s rain season,” she said.
Van Wyk said the border policing members deployed in Limpopo form part of Operation Vala Umgodi – the government’s response to address illicit mining activities in the country.
Operation Vala Umgodi, established in December 2023, is inclusive of the SAPS, SANDF, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and other law enforcement agencies.
“These multi-disciplinary operations are being carried out in the seven identified hot spot provinces, namely the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape and North West,” said Van Wyk.
Earlier this year, the Border Management Authority (BMA) said it intercepted and prevented more than 281 000 people from unlawfully entering South Africa since the initial deployment of border guards last year.
Police vowed to arrest any illegal immigrant found on the wrong side of the law.
Between Thursday and Friday, the integrated “Vala Umgodi” operations led to the arrest of 13 suspects in Mooinooi in North West.
Their arrest was in relation to the contravention of Section 49 (1)(a) of the Immigration Act, (Act No. 13 of 2002). They are expected to appear at the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
“In another incident reported in Stilfontein on Thursday, police were called to a local mine shaft, after mine security reported that they apprehended illegal miners on level 10.
Six illegal miners were found and on searching the suspects, seven pieces of Gold were found hidden in the dreadlocks of one of the suspects. In another arrest on Friday, police were called back to the same shaft in Stilfontein, where six more illegal miners were found on level 14.
“During the search, a backpack was found with more Gold inside. All 12 Stilfontein suspects were nabbed for contravention of Section 49 (1)(a) of the Immigration Act, (Act No. 13 of 2002) and for illegal mining and will appear before the local Magistrates’ Court on Monday,” said North West police spokesperson Adéle Myburgh.
Cape Times